Neil Harris revealed as Blackburn Rovers managerial candidate | OneFootball

Neil Harris has become the latest figure linked with a managerial switch to Ewood Park

Neil Harris has emerged as the latest potential candidate to take up the managerial vacancy at Blackburn Rovers following the dismissal of Valerien Ismael last week.

That is according to Alan Nixon, who has provided the latest update on Rovers' ongoing managerial search through his Patreon service on Monday evening.

Harris is currently overseeing matters with Cambridge United of League Two, with the East Anglian side vying for an immediate return to League One after returning to the EFL's basement division for the first time in four years.

It has been well-documented, however, just how dismal a campaign it has been for Blackburn in the Championship, with the East Lancashire club very much staring at the prospect of a second relegation to the third tier within the past 10 years.

After being given a small reprieve in their fight against the drop to League One with a narrow 1-0 victory over the second tier's bottom and crisis club, Sheffield Wednesday, in Damien Johnson's first game as interim head coach, Rovers fell back into the bottom three on Saturday afternoon as their 2-0 defeat to Norwich City at Carrow Road was followed up by West Bromwich Albion's goalless draw with Stoke City at The Hawthorns.

As such, the Blues are currently inside the drop zone on goal difference behind Leicester City, with the Foxes being hit with a six-point deduction last Thursday by the EFL after being found guilty of breaching the governing body's PSR rules two seasons ago.

Ironically, the Foxes are now intrinsically linked to Blackburn's own managerial search, with both clubs heavily linked with a swoop for Gary Rowett.

However, whilst the Ewood Park club would be keen to land the 51-year-old as Ismael's permanent successor, they have already drawn up back-up plans, which now include the aforementioned Harris.

Indeed, it was reported on Saturday night that the Blackburn hierarchy planned to meet with Rowett within the following 48 hours to strengthen the chances of him taking over the reins in this part of Lancashire.

Nixon claimed, though, that alongside potential contractual differences being a stumbling block, so is the interest in his services from Leicester, which came swiftly after Marti Cifuentes became the latest managerial casualty at the King Power Stadium on January 25th.

It was then reported that Blackburn had started to draw up back-up plans in their managerial search despite still seeing Rowett as the leading contender to be given the managerial post.

Earlier on Monday, Nixon revealed that Northern Ireland manager and former Stoke boss, Michael O'Neill, has been viewed as a 'standby' by chiefs at Ewood, should they be unsuccessful in their pursuit of Rowett.

The journalist has now stated that Harris is viewed in exactly the same way, with the 48-year-old previously enjoying two spells in charge of Millwall - ironically either side of Rowett's own stint in SE16 - whilst he is also in his second spell at the Cledara Abbey Stadium, with Cambridge currently fifth in League Two, just two points behind the automatic promotion places after suffering a first league defeat since October at Harrogate Town on Saturday afternoon.

Nixon's latest report also states that the Lions legend could be approached swiftly, depending on what unfolds between Blackburn and Rowett.

Whilst Harris has previously proven to be a solid manager at Championship level, his potential appointment could split opinion amongst an already divided fanbase, due to the fact the club have looked at a figure currently working two divisions below.

Furthermore, those of a Cambridge persuasion may be worried that Harris could jump ship for a second time despite their currently strong league position in the fourth tier promotion race, added to the fact there is a strong chance the two clubs could be in the same division as each other next season depending on how the current campaign's final weeks pan out.