Blackburn Rovers Next Manager Update: Ismael Emerges as Heavy Favourite

With odds of 33/100, you’d have to suggest there may well be something in the noise that Valerien Ismael is being lined up by Blackburn to become their next boss. It’s an appointment that is unlikely to get widespread approval from the terraces though with Ismael’s record as a manager patchy at best.

In England, he impressed at Barnsley guiding them to an unlikely play-off finish during the 20/21 season. Since then, his stock has fallen on these shores. He failed miserably at a much-fancied West Brom side after swapping Barnsley for the Baggies in the summer and, after a hiatus in Turkey, returned to England with Watford. He managed a paltry win percentage of just 29% with the Hornets.

With a track record of not hanging around at clubs for long, the idea of a short-term deal, perhaps until the end of next season, could suit both parties. That said, even with the odds in question, we still wouldn't hang our hat on this happening.

If Ismael to Blackburn doesn’t happen then he’s not the only manager that knows how to operate in the second tier. In David Wagner, we have another manager who has plenty experience of the English game and, in truth, with a better track record of success than Ismael.

Wagner, who typically plays a direct, counter-attacking style, enjoyed great success in his first job in England with Huddersfield as he not only guided them into the Premier League but also kept them there. He vacated his role during the following season with the Terriers bottom and heading for the drop.

He proved his worth at Championship level again a few years later though, steering Norwich to the play-offs in his only full season with the Canaries. He was sacked the day after losing in the semi-final, with critics pointing to his style of play, and hasn’t worked since; could this be his return after nine months away?

We will level with you, we had almost forgotten all about Aitor Karanka but his connection with Rovers’ Head of Football Operations Rudy Gestede has seen his name thrown into the mix for the Ewood Park vacancy.

Local press have suggested there isn’t too much in the links but you can make an argument for Karanka and Blackburn being a good fit – particularly if you focus on the job he did at Middlesbrough, where he managed Gestede.

His reputation in England is all built on his time on Teeside; he delivered a top-six finish, albeit ultimately ending in Wembley heartbreak, followed by automatic promotion the next season whilst showing himself to be a capable enough coach in the top flight too.

Unfortunately, that may have been Karanka’s peak. Since then, the former Real Madrid man has failed to stay in any job more than 12 months with his last job in England, which ended in March 2021, seeing him win just eight of 38 games with Birmingham.