Burnley legend Glen Little weighs in on the club’s search for a new manager

Time is of the essence in Burnley’s search for a new manager.

That’s according to Clarets favourite Glen Little, who believes the club need someone in situ sooner rather than later if they’re to make the right preparations for another Championship promotion.

Over a month has passed since Scott Parker parted ways by mutual consent, days after Burnley’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.

First-team coach Mike Jackson took charge of the final four games of the season, but has officially ruled himself out of contention for the job on a full-time basis.

The hierarchy continues to work behind the scenes to identify the right man, with chairman Alan Pace writing in his end-of-season programme notes that a “thorough and considered process” is being undertaken.

But with the Clarets’ return for pre-season pencilled in for June 29, and with plenty to be deliberated and decided away from the pitch, Little believes a swift appointment is necessary.

“You need someone in really, because you’ve got to hit the ground running, haven’t you? Pre-season will come around soon and we know how important that is,” he told the Burnley Express.

“Perhaps everyone is focusing on the World Cup, but that’s not Burnley’s problem. We’ve got to focus on the Championship all over again.

“Now, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes, money-wise, or the recruitment, how they're looking at it. Have we got to sell people? I don't know, but you know how I feel about Burnley in the Championship. If you keep most of your players, you'll be up there again.

“I think West Ham and Wolves, again, I fancy us, but you've got to be careful of those two. But will they lose more players than us? I think that could be the deciding factor.”

Little added: “What I will say, I doubt you'll get anyone coming in with as good a record in the Championship as Scott Parker and I still maintain that.

“I really feel that the owners didn't want to sack him. I think that the timing was off, it didn’t make sense.

“But because of the bad feeling around the place and the noise the supporters were making, you're talking about season tickets again, it was probably about 95 per cent wanted him gone.”