Burnley sacking manager prompts suggestions Clarets may return to Craig Bellamy
Nation.Cymru staff
Burnley have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen after just over three months in charge following their 4-1 Sky Bet Championship defeat at Lincoln.
The Clarets, relegated from the Premier League last season, have won only one of their 12 league games under former Genk boss Hayen, 46, who was appointed in July as a replacement for Scott Parker.
Now, many Wales fans and indeed the Football Association of Wales could be forgiven for wondering if the Clarets are about to make another approach for the Welshman after suggestions talks broke down between Bellamy and the Championship side to make him manager earlier this summer.
Of course, Bellamy returned to the Wales fold and staunchly defended himself to the media, saying he was always firmly committed to Wales.
However, after the disastrous appointment of Hayen, which has seen the former premier League side rooted in the Championship relegation zone, they may be prepared to push the boat out in their quest to appoint the Welshman, formerly assistant manager at Turf Moor to Vincent Kompany.
A brief statement on Burnley’s official website read: “Burnley Football Club has dismissed head coach Nicky Hayen with immediate effect.
“The Board has taken the decision following a disappointing start to the Championship season.”
The Clarets’ loss at Lincoln was their sixth in the league this season and has left them third from bottom in the table, three points from safety.
Belgian Hayen was named as Parker’s successor after Burnley had failed to land Wales boss Bellamy and former Wolves manager Rob Edwards.
Hayen had earlier said in his post-match press conference, before news of his dismissal emerged: “It’s frustrating for everyone, especially the fans. I want to apologise to them, but I know it doesn’t matter because it’s another hard defeat for them and I can understand their criticism.
“We haven’t got the results. I will keep on working hard as long as I have the chance. But there will be a day if it carries on like this that it stops.
“I don’t know (if I will still be in charge). I know it’s a really tough defeat and something to think about for the board.”
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.
Let’s just keep it at that, a media ‘suggestion’. Let Craig get on with the important stuff here in Cymru.
He’s already made it obvious that he wants to leave, all they need to do is offer him more money and he’ll be gone. At least that way , they’ll have to pay compensation and we can employ someone who really does believe that it’s ‘the best job in the world’.
Good luck to him, he won’t last two years at a yoyo team like Burnley.
If Bellamy does go, he goes. But it will be a sad ending to his managerial tenure with Wales, especially when he took us to new heights and we dared to dream.
“new heights”… let’s not get carried away, eh?
New heights? I agree there, I must have missed those too 😄
And then Bellamy would be sacked after 3 months.
After Bellamy’s protestations about his loyalty being with Wales first and not Burnley, it will take some very clever spin doctor to explain his reasoning if he did jump. I hope he stays, as we need a little stability with a squad somewhat lacking in talent when key players are injured.
He’s already shown us how keen he is to leave, so it’s definitely “when”, not “if”. As soon as the money is right, he’ll be off.