I watch Burnley every week - this is why ex-Sunderland man isn’t playing under Scott Parker

Former Sunderland defender John Egan has struggled for game time under Scott Parker at Burnley this season.

The Republic of Ireland international defender began his career in England with the Black Cats back in 2009, staying until 2014 before stints with Gillingham, Brentford and Sheffield United. The 32-year-old was released by the Blades following their relegation from the Premier League last season but then signed for Burnley on a free transfer.

However, the experienced central defender has been limited to just 162 minutes in the Championship this season and has only started twice in the league for Parker against Middlesbrough and Norwich. The Clarets have enjoyed a sublime defensive record so far during 2024-25, conceding just nine goals.

Speaking on this week’s episode of the Sunderland Echo’s Roar Podcast, Burnley Express writer Matt Scrafton detailed Egan’s story at Turf Moor so far and the struggles the former Cats man is facing to break into Parker’s starting XI regularly.

“He's done nothing wrong, absolutely done nothing wrong, but at the same time, he can have no complaints because the two ahead of him have just been absolutely brilliant,” Scrafton said. “Maxime Esteve, left-sided centre-half, Frenchman, brought in last January in the Premier League, he was absolutely brilliant in the Premier League and he's dropped down to the Championship.

“They expected him to leave before the season got underway, he's too good for the Championship, a very composed, calm player, got quality on the ball, he's a definite starter, and then it was the position next to him was the question mark, and it was Joe Worrall, another quality player, who started the season after signing from Nottingham Forest.

“He obviously got promoted with Forest. In that first season he did play in the Premier League with Forest, but then sort of dropped out last season. I mean, Joe Worrall can consider himself very unlucky not to play more often as well, he's got two very good centre-backs in reserve there, but then he picked up just a short injury at the start of the season with CJ Egan-Riley, which has been sort of the story of Burnley's season really.

“Because he wasn't fancied by Vincent Kompany last season, he's been out of it, he's been out alone with Hibs and in Holland with, not even PSV, it was the young PSV team, young PSV. And by all accounts, I don't remember hearing a great deal, I don't think he put up any major trees, but then came back, got his opportunity when Worrall picked up a slight injury, and he's been Burnley's player of the season.

“He's been the best player, he's been the story of their season, and now all of a sudden his contract is up in six months now the story is we can't afford to lose him when it was only four months, about four or five months ago, Burnley fans probably didn't even remember that he stood at the club because he would have been fifth or sixth choice in the pecking order, now it's him and Maxime Esteve.

“Scott Parker has sort of talked about John Egan and Joe Worrall. two centre-backs that are of absolute quality for this division. He sort of almost got quite emotional, like he feels very sorry for these two players, and any other, you know, season, any other club probably, they would be regular starters, but, you know, I'm sure they understand as well, they look at these two centre-backs, they're part of a defence that conceded nine goals this season.”