With John Eustace set to join Derby County, Blackburn Rovers have reportedly added a recent Premier League manager to a six-man shortlist of potential replacements.
Who Blackburn could hire to replace Eustace
When reports initially emerged that Derby wanted to lure Eustace away from a Blackburn side vying for a play-off place, it was easy to confuse their ambition for delusion. After all, why would any manager leave a top six side for the chance to take charge of a side scrapping for safety down at the bottom of the Championship? It’s a question only Eustace knows the answer to.
Set to join the club he previously played for, the manager’s loyalty to Derby is seemingly greater than any he has with the project at Ewood Park. Releasing a statement on the news of Eustace’s departure, Blackburn shared their disappointment before thanking the Derby-bound manager.
Forced to turn their attention towards a replacement, those in Lancashire have already reportedly drawn up a six-man shortlist which includes a recent Premier League manager.
According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon, Blackburn have now added Gary O’Neil to their shortlist of options to replace Eustace just months on from his Wolverhampton Wanderers departure. Showing plenty of ambition, Blackburn would be making a statement of their own by hiring a manager of O’Neil’s experience and laying down a marker of promotion in the face of Eustace’s exit.
The former Wolves man isn’t the only name on their list, however, with Carlos Carvalhal, Aitor Karanka, Raphael Wicky, recent player-turned-manager George Boateng and an unnamed European coach all making up the other five names.
Carvahal is instantly among the more difficult options to hire given that he’s currently in charge of Portuguese side Braga and Blackburn would have to lure him away from his position. Boateng, Karanka and Wicky, meanwhile, are all viable.
Blackburn should go all out for O’Neil
Out of those six options, it’s O’Neil who undoubtedly stands out. He ticks the box for recent Premier League experience and even guided Wolves to an impressive top-half finish last season before his side failed to maintain their form in the current campaign and he was shown the door. Nonetheless, he remains Blackburn’s best choice.
If those at Ewood Park are to set their sights on promotion even after Eustace’s departure, then they should hire a manager who can achieve exactly that and then play a part in keeping hold of that Premier League place.
In their ideal world, Blackburn will be left celebrating Eustace’s decision rather than ruing Derby’s move by the time that May arrives. Sat fifth in the Championship, a place in the play-offs remains a very real possibility.
Alas, as much as Blackburn may want to hire O’Neil, the ball may well be in his court and whether he’d be willing to step down to the Championship after impressing at times in the Premier League remains to be seen.
