Burnley manager Owen Coyle comes face-to-face with one of his role models on Saturday and admits he would love to emulate the success of Aston Villa's Martin O'Neill.

The 43-year-old Clarets boss holds the Northern Irishman in the highest regard and believes all young managers should endeavour to follow in the footsteps of the former Nottingham Forest winger.

In some aspects the pair's careers have marked contrasts, while in others there are some similarities. O'Neill won the European Cup with Forest and played 64 times for his country. Coyle, with a solitary Republic of Ireland friendly appearance to his name, played for the likes of Dumbarton, Clydebank and Bolton.

However, when it comes to management Coyle - whose previous jobs were at Falkirk and St Johnstone - is following a path and approach O'Neill took when he first accepted the coaching job at Wycombe before eventually progressing to Leicester, Celtic and now Villa.

"Martin O'Neill is the perfect role model. He wasn't gifted a top job, even given he was a top player who won the European Cup," said Coyle. "He has worked his socks off at the coal face going from Wycombe to Leicester and everything he has got he has earned - no-one has handed him anything.

"That is the type of manager I am very respectful of. He is a tremendous role model for all us young managers trying to make our way in the game."