Former Burnley defender David Unsworth believes Alan Pace has a serious decision to make over Scott Parker’s future following the “embarrassing” cup defeat to League One Mansfield Town.
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Angry Scott Parker reacts to Burnley's FA Cup shock at the hands of Mansfield To...](https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport/football/angry-scott-parker-reacts-to-burnleys-fa-cup-shock-at-the-hands-of-mansfield-town-5598485 "Angry Scott Parker reacts to Burnley's FA Cup shock at the hands of Mansfield Town")
The mood around the club was briefly lifted in midweek when the Clarets claimed their first league win since October with a comeback victory at Crystal Palace.
The result, and second-half performance in particular, prompted an angry reaction from ex-Claret Unsworth, who didn't mince his words after commentating on the game for BBC Radio Lancashire.
"I’ve got to say it how I see it, it’s an embarrassing defeat,” he said.
"Considering where they were in the first-half with the chances they created and the dominance they had, having gone 1-0 up, it’s an embarrassing defeat.
"The feelgood factor, certainly from the fans’ point of view from midweek, has just gone, it’s dissolved, it’s disappeared – and they’re venting their anger at the players and the manager.
Unsworth spent the 2007/08 season at Turf Moor (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)placeholder image
Unsworth spent the 2007/08 season at Turf Moor (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)
"That just piles the pressure now on the manager and not once during this season have we said that, there’s always been a manner in which you get beat. But not this, you don’t get beat like this – certainly against a League One team. It’s an embarrassing afternoon.”
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Unsworth, who also slammed Parker’s decision to make nine changes, said Pace can’t ignore the fan discontent for much longer.
"It gives him a decision to make now. He now has to listen to the fans,” he added.
"I’ll tell you now, the fans are not happy for the first time I’ve witnessed and heard. All ends – other than the Mansfield end obviously – are not happy, boos and disgruntlement.
"I don’t know why the Burnley players are going around clapping the fans, because the abuse they’re getting in return...just get down the tunnel, just get back in the dressing room, you don’t need to do that.
"This now gives the owner a decision to make and all that positivity, staying in games and all the things Scott Parker says after games – and he speaks so well – there is nowhere to turn, it’s embarrassing.
"The changes he made...there’s no midweek game, it’s Saturday to Saturday, play your strongest team. You’re at home and you’ve got a chance to get into the fifth round, one game away from the quarter-finals, two games away from Wembley, play your strongest team.
"Go 2 or 3-0 up and then you can make five changes then give them three days off, it’s not a problem. But you’ve made nine changes and okay, the game should have been dead and buried during the first-half but it wasn’t.
"It was only 1-0 and I’m sorry, I’ve been very supportive of this team and this manager, but that second-half was an embarrassment.”
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