SHEFFIELD United manager Neil Warnock believes that Steve Cotterill has been handed the perfect opportunity to re-establish his managerial credentials at Burnley.

Cotterill was sacked after a turbulent spell as assistant boss at Sunderland in February 2003 - only returning to the game towards the end of last season when he joined the Leicester City coaching staff.

And Warnock expects Cotterill to emulate the qualities that he first showed in steering Cheltenham Town towards three promotions in six seasons.

"I think this will be a good club for Steve," insisted the Blades boss. "A few years ago he was one of the brightest young things in management and obviously then things became a bit more tough.

"Burnley should be a great situation for him. He has the opportunity there to really leave his mark on the club and put his ideas into practice just like he did at Cheltenham."

Warnock also believes that the bitter-sweet experiences Cotterill has had in the past two seasons, which started when he quit Stoke City in 2002 after only 13 games in charge, will ultimately

help him to become a better manager.

He said: "To be honest, perhaps things happened a little too fast and I'm sure that will have brought him back down to earth with a bump.

"I mean that in a nice way though and knowing Steve, he will be all the better for the experience.

"If I'm honest, I think that will have done him the world of good."

Warnock is now looking forward to tomorrow and renewing acquaintances with the man he once tried to sign!

At the time, in the early 1990s, Cotterill was a member of the Wimbledon side that had made their own ascent from football's mirky depths to become a household name.

And Warnock, who was managing Notts County at the time, recalled: "I remember trying to sign Steve.

"I didn't get him because, as far as I recall, he got a better offer on the table. But he was a good, honest and hardworking forward with Wimbledon and that's pretty much what I'm expecting Burnley to be like under him.

"His first game in charge will be against my Sheffield United and I'm sure, with some of the players he's signed and others like Robbie Blake, who will always score 20 goals, he'll have a very good chance of making this a good season."