Burnley are in the unfamiliar position of needing a new manager after the club’s decision to sack Sean Dyche and oddsmakers have placed several coaches with Everton connections as early contenders.
Dyche was in charge at Turf Moor for nine-and-a-half years before the Clarets took the shock move to replace the 50-year-old on Friday. The club currently sit four points below Everton and adrift of safety after suffering a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Norwich in the same weekend that the Blues recorded their 1-0 win over Manchester United.
It was Everton that proved to give Dyche his last victory as Burnley manager, handing a deflating 3-2 loss to Frank Lampard’s side at Turf Moor earlier this month. And though the news is still relatively fresh, oddsmakers have already placed several figures with Blues connections in the frame for the Burnley hotseat.
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Derby County manager Wayne Rooney has emerged as one of the early favourites to succeed Dyche, with his odds currently at 7/4 with Sky Bet. The ex-Everton striker admitted that he turned down an approach to be interviewed for the vacancy at Goodison in January due to his commitment to the Rams.
The East Midlands club are currently nine points from safety, with five games to play, after being deducted 21 points by the EFL and entering administration. However, Rooney has earned plenty of admirers in his first managerial role and is favourite to help save Burnley from relegation.
Slightly behind Rooney at 7/2 is former Everton manager Sam Allardyce , who has been out of work since leaving West Bromwich Albion last summer. Despite taking the Baggies down last season, the 67-year-old’s reputation as something of a survival specialist has seen him enter among the early contenders to replace Sean Dyche.
Elsewhere, current Inter Miami head coach and former Everton captain Phil Neville is seen as a possible candidate at 20/1. The same odds are also given to David Unsworth , who it was revealed earlier this week is set to leave his role within Everton’s academy to pursue his aim of becoming a first-team manager. While recent Everton boss Rafa Benitez is mooted for a possible quick return to the Premier League at 33.1, having been sacked by the Blues in January .
Latest Burnley manager odds from Sky Bet:
Chris Wilder - 11/8
Wayne Rooney - 7/4
Sam Allardyce - 7/2
Michael Duff - 12/1
David Unsworth - 20/1
Phil Neville - 20/1
