"An incredible chance" - Pundit outlines risk and reward for Blackburn Rovers new manager candidates | OneFootball

Not The Top 20 podcast host Ali Maxwell has warned candidates of the risks of taking the Blackburn Rovers job

EFL pundit Ali Maxwell has outlined the risks and rewards attached to the Blackburn Rovers job for managerial candidates looking to replace John Eustace at Ewood Park.

Rovers currently occupy a Championship play-off spot, but Eustace left the Lancashire club last week to join relegation-threatened Derby County.

BBC Sport's Simon Stone revealed that Eustace did not feel backed by Blackburn owners, the Venky's, hence his decision to swap the race for a top-six spot for the scramble to avoid a bottom-three place.

Since the new Derby boss' Ewood Park exit, Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens has entered the frame to replace him at Rovers, as reported by Alan Nixon.

Meanwhile, according to TalkSport, both Arsenal cult hero Luis Boa Morte and former Middlesbrough star George Boateng are set to be interviewed for the vacancy left behind by Eustace.

Ali Maxwell outlines risks attached to Blackburn Rovers managerial vacancy

Maxwell told Not The Top 20 Podcast: "When you manage Blackburn Rovers, you don't always feel that certain about what the future may hold, in particular when it comes to recruitment, budgets, ability to sign quality players, and also losing some of your best players, as has been the case for Rovers the last few years.

"At the same time, they managed to find some money down the back of the sofa in January to sign three attacking players at the very end of the window.

"One of them's Emmanuel Dennis, one of them's Cauley Woodrow and one of them's this lad (Augustus) Kargbo, who looked pretty lively albeit in a short burst here (against Plymouth Argyle), and they signed the left-back (Yuri) Ribeiro at the end of the window as well.

"So whoever comes into Blackburn has a squad of players in good form, inside the play-off places, and I just find it really interesting at the moment because there's a risk that a new manager kind of ruins it, kind of messes up the feng shui of this group, and tries to make a few changes in good faith that end up just knocking them off course.

"I think it's a really fascinating situation and, because, albeit they did make some January additions, I don't think anyone would say particularly wholeheartedly that the Venky's ownership is something that feels sturdy and certain and provides a lot of support for a Blackburn manager.

"So, for anyone looking at this job, you have the carrot of an incredible chance of making the play-offs, which gives you an incredible chance of being a Premier League manager next season.

"But also if you miss out, there'll be a bit of 'well we were top-six when you joined, and we've just missed out on the play-offs, so how good can you be?' and maybe a bit of bad feeling heading into the summer.

"But also the future under the Venky's (is) unclear and, as I read when researching today, Blackburn haven't renewed a first-team contract since 2023.

"So, regardless of whether they're promoted, it's another summer of uncertainty.

"13 of 26 first-team players are out of contract or due to return to their parent clubs as they are loanees.

"It's a fascinating club right now."

Managerial candidates should be wary of Blackburn Rovers job

As alluded to by Maxwell, Rovers are a club characterised by uncertainty, which was epitomised by the fact that Eustace was keen to swap his role at Ewood Park in favour of taking the managerial reins with a Derby side who could face relegation back to League One.

With this in mind, perhaps the likes of Wellens, who is reportedly in the frame to replace Eustace, would be reluctant to depart Leyton Orient in order to join Blackburn, especially given the fact that the London club are currently sitting in the third tier play-offs.

Meanwhile, the Rovers job may not be an ideal first role in EFL management for either of the aforementioned Boa Morte or Boateng, due to the lack of support from the Venky's ownership of the club.