Burnley will hope whoever takes on the reins after Vincent Kompany's exit to Bayern Munich is confirmed can immediately steer the Clarets back up to the Premier League, after sourly tasting relegation after just one season back in the elite division.
That relegation on his managerial CV hasn't stopped the Belgian from being linked with a big move away, however, with the Clarets no doubt flummoxed initially by the Bavarian giants being interested in their previous promotion-winning boss ahead of the new second-tier campaign.
The Lancashire outfit will now be on the hunt for Kompany's successor urgently, with a big void now needing to be filled after the former Anderlecht man had romped to the second-tier title during his tenure.
After Steve Cooper allegedly rejected the Turf Moor job post recently, according to reports, Burnley could now set their sights on this bold alternative to the Welshman instead who has been openly admired in the past by Kompany.
Burnley looking at bold Cooper alternative
According to a report late last week from journalist Alan Nixon, via his Patreon, Burnley are considering the appointment of former Chelsea and Everton manager Frank Lampard to replace the out-going 38-year-old, with his name near the top of the list for successors alongside Cooper's.
With the former Swansea City man now ruling himself out of the vacancy, all eyes will now focus in on sealing a deal for Lampard who has a rather respectable record against the Clarets as manager with just one loss picked up from four games.
Match
Result
Burnley vs Everton, April 2022
3-2 Burnley W
Burnley vs Chelsea, October 2020
3-0 Chelsea W
Chelsea vs Burnley, January 2020
3-0 Chelsea W
Burnley vs Chelsea, October 2019
4-2 Chelsea W
Overseeing goal-filled contests too, with 12 goals notched up to the benefit of his teams, Lampard could now fancy occupying the actual Burnley dug-out to prove his credentials as a boss after a turbulent time as a manager as of late.
Bowing out of his Chelsea interim duties with an embarrassing one win from 11 when last employed, the easily mocked 45-year-old could have a fire in his belly to succeed with the Clarets having done well in the second division before at Derby County, right at the very start of his bumpy managerial journey.
Why Lampard could fit in at Burnley
Ironically, Lampard could take over from a manager who has waxed lyrical about his major influence on him in the past, with Kompany – whilst still learning the ropes at Anderlecht – stating that he "learnt so much from" him when the pair played together at Manchester City and even noted that the former midfield great was an "incredible professional."
Still, the 45-year-old knows, in the here and now, that his reputation as a competent manager has taken a beating and he will look to get back to the peak he experienced at Derby, therefore, with the Clarets that saw him get to a Championship play-off final with the Rams.
Beating Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United across two legs that season in dramatic fashion to reach Wembley remains one of Lampard's most impressive feats as a manager, hoping to go one better if given the Burnley job to clinch a first promotion on his resume.
Boasting 26 wins from 57 games in charge of the Rams with an impressive 103 goals scored along the way, Lampard nurtured the likes of Harry Wilson, Mason Mount and more in this short stint as well who then went on to have significant careers in the division above.
Switching between a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3 formation at Pride Park predominantly, the first of those formations could suit the Clarets perfectly, who convincingly were crowned champions of the second tier when set up in this way for the majority of the season by Kompany.
Burnley won't want to have a managerial saga on their hands, like other clubs scrambling to appoint a fresh face, and could see Lampard as a bold but suited successor to Kompany now to soften the disappointment of Cooper's rejection.
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