Dean Saunders revealed he would make Burnley manager Sean Dyche the next boss of Newcastle United if he was in charge.
Natalie Sawyer asked Saunders who he would appoint to succeed Rafa Benitez at the Magpies, and he responded by naming the 48-year-old manager though clearly added he wasn’t sure if he’d take the job.
“I’d give the job to Sean Dyche,” said Saunders on talkSPORT (17:55, Sunday, June 30th).
“If you could get him, if he would, I don’t know if he would want the job.”
Saunders then chipped in about Dyche again after David Connolly had given his views on the Burnley boss, to dismiss a misconception about Dyche as he shared he wasn’t just all about playing 4-4-2 like some think.
“Y’know what I did my coaching badges with him and everyone thinks he is just 4-4-2, get it forward, get it wide and across,” added Saunders.
“Like straight up and down, but I know if you give him a job full of Man City players he’d get them playing like that, he can do both.”
OPINION
Saunders is in dreamland by suggesting Dyche as the next manager of Newcastle, as there’s one very good reason why the Clarets boss is likely not to be an option. The Daily Mail previously reported that Newcastle would have to pay Burnley £10million in compensation if they were to hire him as their new manager, and it’s hard to imagine Mike Ashley wanting to spend that amount on a manager when he is usually reluctant to spend that on players. However, while Saunders in is dreamland with his pick, it’s understandable why in an ideal world he sees Dyche as a good replacement for Benitez. Dyche has plenty of Premier League experience, as he has been in charge of 147 games, winning 43, drawing 38 and losing 71, and would probably be comfortably able to guide the Magpies to a comfortable finish in the division, far away from relegation. The 48-year-old may not be the most exciting choice for supporters, as just like Saunders highlighted he is viewed as a manager who implements boring basic tactics, but if he got results, would anyone care?
