Blackburn Rovers eye Slaven Bilic development - West Ham return threat lingers | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers are keen on Slaven Bilic, but there is a strong threat from clubs higher up the pyramid.

Blackburn Rovers' hunt for a new manager has entered day three, and while a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday evening took the club out of the relegation zone, a new permanent head coach is needed at Ewood Park.

Slaven Bilic is just one of the names linked with a move to Lancashire, with Alex Crook reporting that the Croatian could be in line to take over in BB2 following the departure of Valerien Ismael on Monday afternoon - just over 24 hours before their clash with the Owls.

Eiran Cashin's first goal for the club handed Rovers all three points under the lights at Ewood Park, with the result seeing West Bromwich Albion enter the bottom three in the Championship on goal difference.

However, Blackburn have won just two of their last 14 league games, and supporters will want to see a new face in the dugout as soon as possible. While that could be Bilic, there is a new issue that has reared its head since that victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

Blackburn Rovers could face competition for Slaven Bilic from West Ham

It's vital that Rovers get their next appointment right after such a difficult season so far, and Bilic has plenty of experience in multiple divisions to help turn their campaign around.

However, according to Alan Nixon, Blackburn could face competition for the 57-year-old from West Ham if they decide to part ways with Nuno Espírito Santo. While there is no certainty of that job becoming available, a downward turn in form for the Hammers could see them sack their Portuguese boss.

Nonetheless, contact has been made with people linked to Bilic, including a relative. But there is no guarantee that he will take the job if he is formally approached and those associated with the ex-West Ham manager have sent mixed signals following early talks.

Blackburn are formalising their official shortlist, as per Nixon's report, and Bilic is high up on that list, but it is not assured that he is as committed as the club.

Slaven Bilic does have an exceptional Championship record

Rovers are fighting for their Championship survival, and while Tuesday's win over Sheffield Wednesday will help them in that battle, they need to find consistency quickly to ensure that they keep their heads above the parapet.

Therefore, bringing Bilic to Ewood Park would be a huge coup, as he has had huge success in the past at this level. He won promotion with West Bromwich Albion in 2020/21, finishing second behind Leeds United, while he also had Watford close to the play-off spots in 10th during 2022/23.

The volatility of managing the Hornets would put him in good stead at Blackburn, and he could be a fantastic head coach due to his strong character and ability to work with limited resources.

However, as he has spent the majority of his managerial career towards the top end of league tables, he may not like the idea of adding a potential relegation to his CV.