Burnley fans would have been content with Vincent Kompany sticking it out as Clarets manager next season, with the Belgian boss having lifted the Championship title before this season's relegation slump.
Yet, with a shock development now putting him in pole position to become the next Bayern Munich manager, the relegated side are now presumably on the hunt for a successor who can be equally successful in the drop down a division.
Many reports have suggested that Kompany's second in command at Turf Moor in Craig Bellamy could take over the main management reins in his absence, despite also being the Belgian's assistant manager in his native country at Anderlecht.
But, the new second-tier side could well opt to go after this manager instead who has quietly gone about his business in the Championship and EFL as a boss throughout his career on the sidelines.
Burnley's search for Kompany replacement
As football journalist Sacha Tavolieri revealed last week, Burnley have kept Coventry City manager Mark Robins in mind for some time when previously drafting up replacements for Kompany if he was to move on from the Clarets.
Once described as being "one of the most underrated managers" out there by Nigel Pearson when the ex-Leicester City boss was in charge of Bristol City, Robins has transformed the Sky Blues from a sleeping giant marooned in League Two all the way up to being promotion hopefuls knocking on the door of the Premier League.
League
Final position
Wins
Losses
Draws
Champ
9th
17
13
16
Champ
5th
18
16
12
Champ
12th
17
13
16
Championship
16th
14
13
19
L1
1st
18
13
3
League One
8th
18
11
17
League Two
6th
22
9
15
Constantly striving to do better at the helm, the 54-year-old might well view his ninth-place finish this season gone as a natural end-point to his long-standing reign at the CBS Arena.
Taking Manchester United all the way in dramatic fashion this season in the FA Cup semi-finals as well, with the Red Devils needing penalties after an exhilarating 3-3 contest to progress through, the Clarets would show they mean business poaching Robins from a fellow Championship side in the wake of Kompany's exit.
It remains to be seen whether Robins would walk out on his beloved Sky Blues, after seven successful years at Coventry, but Burnley would get over the Belgian's exit a lot quicker by going after this dream Bellamy alternative.
Why Robins would be a Bellamy upgrade
Although the Welshman has received glowing praise for his work as a coach to date, with ex-Man City teammate Wayne Bridge even describing Bellamy as being "very intelligent" in the past, it would be a tall order for the 44-year-old to be a success immediately in his first ever main management role.
Whereas, Robins has been there and done that when it comes to earning his stripes in the EFL amidst tricky circumstances at points, and could fancy a job post now where promotion is expected rather than battling intensely for the playoffs.
Getting the best out of talents such as Callum O'Hare at the CBS Arena – who has been present since Coventry's League One days but starred in the Championship this season with ten league goals – Robins could work his magic and try to get his best stars to relocate to Turf Moor if a switch can be agreed.
His track record with the Sky Blues would also see Robins – who typically deploys a 3-4-1-2 formation at his current side – instantly gain respect amongst the Clarets camp, with the Premier League the next division he will want to tick off.
Whereas, Bellamy might well fail to be an imposing figure immediately having been in Kompany's shadow for so long, with it perhaps time for a clean break from the Belgian's regime.
Burnley will still be in a slight state of shock that their relegated boss has been snatched by Bayern, but if they can pull off this appointment, they will forget that Kompany has gone to the Bavarian giants in an instant.
