Burnley dismiss Hayen after Lincoln loss leaves them in relegation zone
Burnley have sacked head coach Nicky Hayen after a 4-1 defeat away to Lincoln left the club in the Championship’s bottom three. The decision marks a sharp change in fortunes for a side expected to challenge for promotion after relegation from the Premier League.
Hayen, appointed in the summer as Scott Parker’s successor, won one of his 14 matches: a 4-0 league victory at Watford on 10 October. Burnley also beat Notts County on penalties in the Carabao Cup and drew their opening league match with West Ham, but suffered heavy defeats at West Brom, Norwich and Lincoln. A loss to Wolves the previous weekend had already put Hayen under pressure.
In short
- Burnley have dismissed Nicky Hayen after 14 games.
- A 4-1 loss at Lincoln left them in the relegation zone.
- Hayen won once as Burnley slipped below promotion expectations.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Burnley’s results gave the club a strong case for acting: one win in 14 matches and several heavy defeats left a squad expected to challenge for promotion in the relegation zone. A change of coach could give the team a fresh start while there is still time to improve its position.
The case against
Sacking Hayen after a difficult run may disrupt the team further and leaves little time for a new coach to impose a plan. He had only been appointed in the summer, and the poor results may also reflect wider issues in the squad or club that changing the coach alone cannot resolve.
Explained simply
Burnley are a football club in Lancashire, currently playing in the Championship, the second tier of English league football. Clubs near the bottom of the Championship risk relegation to League One, while those near the top compete for promotion to the Premier League.
Nicky Hayen took charge in the summer, replacing Scott Parker after Burnley were relegated from the Premier League. Burnley had been expected to challenge for a quick return, but their results under Hayen left them in the bottom three, a position that puts the club’s promotion plans at risk.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Burnley sack Nicky Hayen after Lincoln rout leaves them in bottom three”.