Burnley tipped to beat Sheffield Wednesday to highly rated manager.

Burnley’s search for a new manager has already begun following the dismissal of Nicky Hayen, and pundits Aaron McLean and Adam Virgo believe Dave Challinor should be near the top of the club’s shortlist.

Burnley have endured a miserable campaign, winning only once in 12 league matches and leaving Hayen under mounting pressure. His position became increasingly difficult to defend after Saturday’s disastrous 4-1 defeat at Lincoln City, particularly because Burnley had taken the lead before collapsing.

Hayen’s departure was subsequently confirmed on Saturday evening, meaning attention has immediately shifted towards the manager who can rescue Burnley’s season.

Burnley face a crucial managerial decision

Alan Pace and new Chief Football Officer Diego Lopez now have an important appointment to make. Burnley cannot afford another unsuccessful managerial choice, particularly with the club already fighting at the wrong end of the table.

Several familiar names are expected to be linked with the vacancy. Rob Edwards and Steven Gerrard have reportedly emerged among the potential candidates, but McLean believes the club should look beyond the obvious options.

One manager who has not yet been strongly connected with the position is Challinor. The 51-year-old is currently available after leaving Stockport County during the summer, although Sheffield Wednesday are understood to have an interest in bringing him to Hillsborough.

Despite that competition, McLean believes Challinor would be his first choice for the Burnley job.

McLean highlights Challinor’s impressive record

Speaking on the Inside The 72 podcast, McLean explained that Challinor’s achievements immediately stood out when he reviewed the managers being discussed.

The pundit pointed towards the work Challinor completed at Stockport and described his overall contribution as exceptional. Before arriving at Stockport, Challinor also achieved promotion from the National League with Hartlepool United.

His work with Stockport was arguably even more impressive. He took the club from the National League to League One, establishing a side that consistently competed near the top of the divisions.

McLean noted that Challinor’s teams regularly challenged for promotion and rarely found themselves outside the play-off picture. The manager eventually decided to leave Stockport last season because he believed the time had arrived to pursue a new challenge.

For McLean, that makes Challinor an obvious candidate for Burnley. He believes the experienced coach is ready to make the next step in his career and stated that he would be the first manager he approached if he were running a club of Burnley’s stature.

Virgo agrees Challinor deserves his chance

Former professional footballer Adam Virgo also backed the idea, arguing that Challinor’s achievements deserve greater recognition.

Virgo compared Challinor’s managerial record with the way promising players are judged. If a League Two or League One footballer were consistently scoring goals and producing impressive performances, bigger Championship clubs would naturally be interested.

He believes the same principle should apply to managers.

Challinor has built successful teams, won promotions and created a strong reputation in the lower divisions. Virgo therefore questioned why Burnley should overlook him in favour of a manager such as Edwards or an overseas candidate.

The pundit also believes Challinor could maximise the ability of Burnley’s current squad and get more from the players available to him.

Challinor would still represent a gamble

Appointing Challinor would not automatically guarantee Burnley’s survival. There are reasons for the club to approach the idea carefully, despite the enthusiasm from the two pundits.

On paper, Hayen initially looked like a highly credible appointment. The Belgian had won the domestic league with Club Brugge and gained Champions League experience. He had also worked his way through football before reaching the highest levels.

Yet those credentials were not enough to prevent Burnley’s current problems. That raises the possibility that the difficulties at Turf Moor are connected to deeper structural issues rather than simply the identity of the manager.

If that is the case, Challinor could encounter many of the same obstacles that affected Hayen.

Burnley’s structure raises questions

Challinor’s success at Stockport was undoubtedly influenced by his managerial ability, but it also came within an environment where he had a strong structure around him.

The club provided stability and, importantly, he had an owner who trusted his methods.

Burnley could present a very different challenge.

There has been a perception that player influence has become too powerful within the dressing room. If those issues genuinely exist, the next manager will need sufficient authority to establish control and demand standards.

That raises an important question: would Challinor be given enough backing and power to deal with difficult personalities if Hayen was unable to solve those problems?

Championship inexperience is another concern

There is another obvious risk. Challinor has never managed above League One, while Burnley urgently require someone capable of producing immediate results.

The Clarets cannot afford a lengthy adaptation period because another relegation is becoming a genuine concern. Whoever takes over must quickly improve performances and results.

That does not mean Challinor could not succeed at Championship level. His promotion record suggests he has earned the opportunity to test himself against stronger opposition. However, Burnley’s current circumstances make the appointment considerably more demanding than a normal Championship job.

Wednesday could offer a better fit

For Challinor, Sheffield Wednesday may ultimately represent a more natural opportunity. The club are reportedly interested, and a return to League One could provide him with a more controlled environment in which to continue building his reputation.

Burnley, by contrast, need an immediate solution to a serious crisis. That could make the final decision considerably more difficult.

McLean and Virgo clearly believe Challinor deserves that opportunity. Nevertheless, Burnley must consider whether his strengths would translate into a troubled environment at Turf Moor.

With the Clarets searching for a replacement after Hayen’s departure, the decision could shape the remainder of their season. Challinor has built an impressive career, but whether Burnley is the right place for his next step remains the biggest question.