PEOPLE have been quick to criticise Burnley's decision to appoint Brian Laws as their new manager.

Just a few weeks after being ousted from his post as boss at Sheffield Wednesday, after struggling in the Championship, he lands a job in the top flight.

The Clarets had a decision to make after Owen Coyle upped sticks and moved to Bolton.

And their choice raised a few eyebrows.

But Laws did a great job at Scunthorpe, did well overall at Wednesday under tight financial constraints and now Burnley, with not the biggest budget in the world, hope he can do the same for them.

Many have written him off already but the former Nottingham Forest full-back has fire in his belly and is not about to waste this chance.

Write him off at your peril and all I can say is good luck to him, I hope he does a good job.

Meanwhile, down in east London, former Birmingham duo David Gold and David Sullivan have sealed the takeover of West Ham.

We will have to see how that pans out but any Hammers fans expecting a massive cash injection will be disappointed.

This is just the start for them and they have a long way to go until they are out of the relegation fight in the Premiership.

The takeover might mean a new beginning, but do not take it for granted that everything will be rosy from now on as a result.

There is a long road ahead for Sullivan and Gold. Just as there is for Laws and Burnley.

Only time will tell if these latest changes in personnel work out for the better at both Upton Park and Turf Moor.