Middlesbrough are ’extremely confident’ that manager Chris Wilder will not leave the Riverside to take over from Sean Dyche at Premier League strugglers Burnley, as reported by the Northern Echo.
If there was one man in English football who could conceivably be compared to the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in terms of longevity and his undying influence on a club built in his image, it was the gravel-voiced gaffer ejected without warning from the Turf Moor hotseat almost a week ago.
It speaks volumes about Dyche’s popularity among the Burnley support that, even during a season of sustained struggle, there was not even a hint of discontent among the fanbase. Not a single white flag cutting through in a sea of claret-and-blue.
Burnley’s American owners have made their bed with the sudden sacking of the longest-serving manager in the Premier League. Now, they have no choice but to lie in it, come what may.
The fact that ALK do not appear to have a readymade replacement lined up certainly gives credence to the theory that Dyche’s departure was little more than a knee-jerk reaction to an admittedly dismal 2-0 defeat to Norwich City.
A desperate roll of the dice. A roll of the Dyche, if you will.
Who will replace Sean Dyche at Burnley?
Chris Wilder has been linked, albeit somewhat tenuously.
According to the Northern Echo, however, Middlesbrough are convinced that a man who replaced Neil Warnock just six months ago is not going to up sticks already. What’s more, there was been no approach from Burnley at this stage anyway.
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The report adds that Kieran Scott, Boro’s Head of Football, will also stay put. He, like former Sheffield United boss Wilder, has also been linked with a role at Burnley.
The Independent claims that Slaven Bilic is keen on the Burnley job, though the same cannot be said of Sam Allardyce. Daniel Farke, meanwhile, will only take on a new role over the summer.
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