DAVID Unsworth believes Clarets boss Owen Coyle has all the credentials to be a success in the Premier League.

And he hopes the Scotsman can fulfil that ambition with Burnley.

The 34-year-old defender left Turf Moor last week after rejecting the offer of a player/coach role in favour of prolonging his footballing career.

It ended a season-long association with the Clarets, which came perilously close to reaching a play-off spot in the Championship But Unsworth, who has played under Joe Royle, Harry Redknapp, Walter Smith, David Moyes, Neil Warnock and Paul Jewell throughout his career, left with nothing but praise for Burnley boss Coyle.

And although he only worked with the Scotsman for just over half-a-season, he has seen enough to convince him that the 42-year-old is destined for the top.

He said: “I really enjoyed the season and we came very close. We were just a couple of points off seventh place. If we could’ve just kicked on that extra mile we would’ve been looking at the play-offs. But it wasn’t to be.

“We all know that, in that league, that it’s getting tougher, but they certainly have the manager to do it.

“Owen Coyle and Sandy Stewart are two people who I have nothing but high praise for.

“I have no doubt that Owen can go on to be a top manager at the highest level. Hopefully, for the Burnley people, that can be with them.”

After securing the Latics’ future in the Premier League with a dramatic penalty that relegated his former club Sheffield Untied, Unsworth found himself being released at the start of last summer and in the hunt for a new club.

That was when Steve Cotterill and Burnley came calling.

But despite penning a one-year deal, the Chorley-born defender admitted he thought his chances of first-team action would be few and far between.

Little did he know then that he would go on to form an integral part in the Clarets side, playing a total of 31 games in the heart of defence alongside a variety of partners.

He added: “When I first went there I signed under Steve Cotterill and I was under no illusion at the beginning that I was going to be a squad player. I got into the team after about 10 games and I don’t think I was ever out of the first team. And I think my performances justified me keeping my place.

“I thought Steve was superb and I enjoyed working with him immensely. As an older professional he showed me tremendous respect. And something that I found through working with Steve was that his knowledge of the game was phenomenal.

“Owen came in and sometimes it can be a difficult situation when one manager leaves and another one arrives. But he was a breath of fresh air.”