John Eustace to leave Derby County? Burnley FC switch 'just doesn't make sense' | OneFootball

Burnley are considering a move for Derby County boss John Eustace as they look for Scott Parker's permanent successor.

Derby County enjoyed a positive season under John Eustace, even if it ended in final day disappointment as they failed to make the play-offs.

Nevertheless, it’s clear the Rams are heading in the right direction under the current regime, with Eustace key to that as he gets as much as possible from the players.

However, it appears the job the Derby boss has done hasn’t gone unnoticed, as journalist Ben Jacobs revealed on social media that Eustace is a contender for the Burnley vacancy alongside impressive Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy.

The Clarets parted company with Scott Parker following their relegation from the Premier League, and they have already begun their search for his successor, as they prepare for what they hope will be a promotion push next season.

John Eustace backed to stick with Derby County as Burnley show interest

With Burnley’s parachute payments, many observers will expect them to be competing for a top two place, and there’s no doubt they have a lot of quality in their squad by Championship standards.

Therefore, the chance to move to Turf Moor may appeal to Eustace, as they could offer a more realistic route to the Premier League than Derby.

Yet, when asked by FLW about the prospect of Eustace moving to Burnley, Derby fan pundit Shaun Woodward admitted that whilst it would be a massive blow, he is adamant that the Rams chief will want to stick around to continue what has been a successful project so far.

“I’m 100% confident that Eustace would not be tempted by the Burnley job. He is committed to Derby, he has a plan in place, and, so far, he is ahead of schedule with where we are as a club.

“He has invested into this squad, this group, and with the fans, so I cannot see him moving to another club in our league - it just doesn’t make any sense to me. Yes, Burnley are going to be one of the favourites to go up with their Premier League money and some Premier League players, but I still look at Derby as a bigger club than Burnley. We have a better fan base and a better history.

“Eustace is settled at Derby, and I cannot see him being tempted to move away. It would be a crying shame if that happened, and I would be absolutely devastated, as would 99.9% of Derby fans if this happened.”

Derby County must do all they can to keep John Eustace

Eustace is always going to attract attention from Championship clubs because he has proven himself to be a very good manager at this level.

He has overachieved on limited budgets with multiple clubs, although Derby have done all they can to back him.

Naturally, some will feel he deserves a shot at a club with more resources, but, as outlined above, he is onto a good thing with Derby right now.

He has been supported in the market with some big signings, and it’s clear that Eustace has been allowed to build a team in his image, and he appears to have a close relationship with the owner.

So, Eustace will be aware of that, and it would take a lot to convince him to leave, which is why many fans will share the same confidence that he will want to stay around.

Now, all eyes are on the summer window, and the challenge for Derby is to give Eustace as much backing as possible to help try and improve this squad, because a top eight finish has to be a very realistic expectation going into next season.