Burnley FC have confirmed the appointment of Michael Jackson as interim manager for the closing stages of the 2025/26 Premier League season. The 45-year-old, who was part of Scott Parker’s backroom staff, has been handed the role following Parker’s departure from the club by mutual consent.
Jackson takes charge of a side that has already been relegated from the Premier League, with four matches remaining in the top-flight campaign. Rather than moving quickly to install a permanent successor to Parker, Burnley’s board opted to promote from within, placing trust in a coach who is already embedded in the squad’s day-to-day environment.
The decision reflects the club’s desire to maintain continuity during what is an unsettled period. Officials at Turf Moor have pointed to Jackson’s existing relationship with the playing group and his familiarity with the tactical structures currently in place as key factors behind the appointment.
With relegation already confirmed, the immediate challenge for Jackson is to manage the psychological impact on players and staff while steering the team through the final weeks of the Premier League season. Beyond results, his brief includes helping the club’s hierarchy assess which members of the current squad are suited to an immediate promotion challenge in the Championship.
Burnley’s leadership are also using the remaining fixtures as a window to evaluate long-term managerial candidates before the summer recruitment process begins in earnest. The club will be eager to mount a promotion push in the Championship next season, having previously returned to the Premier League at the first attempt following their 2022/23 relegation under Vincent Kompany.
Jackson’s interim spell may carry additional significance beyond the current campaign. Should he perform well in the closing fixtures, sources suggest his stint could develop into an audition for the permanent managerial position, though no formal decision on a long-term appointment is expected until the off-season.
Parker, who had guided Burnley back to the Premier League in 2024 before departing, leaves the club at a difficult juncture. His exit opens a significant vacancy at a club with Premier League ambitions, and the identity of Burnley’s permanent manager is likely to be a prominent storyline throughout the summer transfer window.
