Cotts Laffs Out Loud

Steve Cotterill left the club by mutual consent back in November 2007 to be soon replaced by current gaffer, Owen Coyle.

Apart from an early rumour linking him with a managerial role at Swindon which came to nothing, he has had a quiet time in the media. The usual managerial merry-go-round continued for the rest of the season and up to the present day, Cotterill has not been linked to any of them be they in the Premier League, Championship or lower divisions.

Quiet indeed but maybe he was just enjoying a well earned rest and catching up with family life.

Yesterday he broke silence coming out in support of Kyle Lafferty and his more or less completed move to Rangers.

Cotterill believes it is the right time for Kyle Lafferty to join Glasgow Rangers and speaking on BBC Radio Lancashire said:

'It's a great opportunity for the lad.It's a good deal for Burnley as well as for Kyle.'

'I remember when I brought him in he was skinny, lightweight and could never play two games on the trot.

'We sent him out on loan to Darlington and he had a great spell there.When he came back he looked as if he'd grown up and I think he's become stronger and stronger each year.

'It was about being a father-like figure with Kyle. It's very similar to the relationship I would have had with Michael Duff in his upbringing.

'When I used to play him down the middle, he used to get beaten up a bit. He just wasn't strong enough, but that's what happens. His muscles weren't strong and even though he could run he could have easily burnt himself out.

'But as the years went on, he fulfilled the criteria we set at the beginning of the season - which was to play a few games. It was then to go on and play a few more, then play 25, and then 35-45 games.

'Now Kyle has a great opportunity to go all the way and uproot some trees in the Scottish Premier League and I think he will do very well,'

Cotterill is clearly proud that he has been involved in the development of Lafferty's career to a stage where he is now close to a £4m move.

It is maybe stange that this topic is the first to put him back in the media spotlight and this might be a signal that he is back in the market and eager to resurrect his managerial career. We wish him well and hope that some day he will silence his Clarets critics by eventually becoming 'The Best Young Manager Outside the Premiership'

He certainly knew how to attract players to Burnley and sell the club and he was well respected behind the scenes and did quite a bit of work outside of the media gaze for which he will probably never get much credit from his doubters.




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