IN the volatile science of football management, Turf Moor is ready to pit the eager student up against the wily old professor.

Steve Cotterill and Neil Warnock are managers from opposites side of the campus. The new Clarets chief arrived at Turf Moor this summer having graduated with coaching honours and preaching all the modern methods.

In contrast, battle-hardened Blades boss Warnock wears the badges of the 'old school', namely 18 years and close to 900 games as an inimitable, sometimes outspoken, nearly always controversial dug-out chief.

It's hard to visualise a starker contrast in perceived styles. Yet when the unpredictable science of sporting combat gets underway tomorrow afternoon, Cotterill accepts that all the coaching skills money can buy cannot guarantee getting his Burnley career off to a winning start.

"I doubt Neil and I will have different approaches to this game," Cotterill admitted. "A lot is made of these coaching badges, but I'll tell you something now - if I have a better team, but no coaching badges, there is a great chance that I'll win.

"I never get carried away with coaching badges, it's other people that have written things.

"I just wanted to get them so no-one could ever turn me down on a job because I'm not qualified.

"They don't have the like the colour of my eyes, but I wanted to get them to give me different ideas.

"But players win games and, quite often, if you have the best players they will win through and we have some good players here!"

Likewise Warnock, who spent the summer steadfastly tweaking his squad following a season of consolidation following their heartbreaking play-off defeat to Wolves in May, 2003.

In an unorthodox move, four of his six new signings were unveiled on the same day; striker Barry Hayles arriving from Fulham along with Andy Liddell (Wigan) and both Leigh Bromby and Alan Quinn (both Sheff Wed). Former Fulham and Chelsea midfielder Jon Harley and ex-Blackpool stopper Phil Barnes - unavailable tomorrow through suspension - complete the trading to again give Warnock a fighting chance of making at least a play-off push.

Another change from previous season's encounter with the Blades is the lack of off-field rivalry.

It's not hard to imagine Warnock cracking a wry smile when nemesis Stan Ternent

IN the volatile science of football management, Turf Moor is ready to pit the eager student up against the wily old professor.

Steve Cotterill and Neil Warnock are managers from opposites side of the campus. The new Clarets chief arrived at Turf Moor this summer having graduated with coaching honours and preaching all the modern methods.

In contrast, battle-hardened Blades boss Warnock wears the badges of the 'old school', namely 18 years and close to 900 games as an inimitable, sometimes outspoken, nearly always controversial dug-out chief.

It's hard to visualise a starker contrast in perceived styles. Yet when the unpredictable science of sporting combat gets underway tomorrow afternoon, Cotterill accepts that all the coaching skills money can buy cannot guarantee getting his Burnley career off to a winning start.

"I doubt Neil and I will have different approaches to this game," Cotterill admitted. "A lot is made of these coaching badges, but I'll tell you something now - if I have a better team, but no coaching badges, there is a great chance that I'll win.

"I never get carried away with coaching badges, it's other people that have written things.

"I just wanted to get them so no-one could ever turn me down on a job because I'm not qualified.

"They don't have the like the colour of my eyes, but I wanted to get them to give me different ideas.

"But players win games and, quite often, if you have the best players they will win through. and we have some good players here!"

Likewise Warnock, who spent the summer steadfastly tweaking his squad following a season of consolidation following their heartbreaking play-off defeat to Wolves in May, 2003.

In an unorthodox move, four of his six new signings were unveiled on the same day; striker Barry Hayles arriving from Fulham along with Andy Liddell (Wigan) and both Leigh Bromby and Alan Quinn (both Sheff Wed). Former Fulham and Chelsea midfielder Jon Harley and ex-Blackpool stopper Phil Barnes - unavailable tomorrow through suspension - complete the trading to again give Warnock a fighting chance of making at least a play-off push.

Another change from previous season's encounter with the Blades is the lack of off-field rivalry.

It's not hard to imagine Warnock cracking a wry smile when nemesis Stan Ternent