"A little bit silly" - EFL expert raises Blackburn Rovers, Valerien Ismael contract concern | OneFootball

Adrian Clarke gave his verdict on Blackburn's appointment on the What The EFL?! podcast.

Pundit Adrian Clarke has issued a damning assessment of Blackburn Rovers’ latest appointment Valerien Ismael and questioned the decision to hand him a three-and-a-half year contract.

The former Arsenal and Southend United man revealed he was “underwhelmed” by the appointment and stated that he expected a club in the Championship play-off positions to do better.

Ismael will step into the Ewood Park dugout for the first time on Saturday when Rovers take on Norwich City. The Frenchman has a big job on his hands to continue the outstanding work of John Eustace, who recently departed the club to join Derby County.

With Blackburn currently sat in sixth, but just one point clear of seventh-placed Coventry, it's imperative Ismael hits the ground running in Lancashire if they are to finish in the play-offs at the end of the season.

Adrian Clarke is disappointed by Blackburn’s decision to opt for Ismael

Ismael is no stranger to the Championship, having previously taken charge of Barnsley, West Brom and Watford in the second tier. However, varying degrees of success in those jobs have seen his managerial career stall.

He has been out of work for almost a year since he was sacked by Watford in March 2024, but that hasn’t stopped the Blackburn board handing him a three-and-a-half-year deal.

However, Clarke believes Rovers have got the appointment wrong. Speaking on the What The EFL?! podcast, Clarke said: “I am underwhelmed, I’ve got to be honest. I think a club that’s inside the play-offs in the Championship can do better. I don’t mean to sound harsh on Valerien Ismael; I just think he’s a bit of a journeyman manager. That’s how I see it.

“He did make a big impression at Barnsley, definitely; he got that team going. The energy was amazing, the pressing and rotation of the strikers was different. But, when he’s tried to translate that to a higher level, it hasn’t really worked.

“At West Brom, he didn’t last the season; Besiktas, he lasted 19 games; and at Watford, he didn’t last the season. I think he’s more of a League One manager, which is how I perceive it if I’m being brutally honest.

“I also think the length of the contract is a little bit silly on Rovers’ part. You look at his career and he doesn’t tend to stick around for the long term. Every new manager talks about long-term visions, but how many really get that in the Championship?

“I’m underwhelmed. I don’t mean to be too negative, but I think Blackburn could maybe have chosen more wisely.”

Valerien Ismael has struggled since his spell with Barnsley

It’s fair to say that so far, Ismael’s first foray into English football has been by far his most successful one.

The former Wolfsburg and LASK boss took over at Barnsley in October 2020 and immediately oversaw a remarkable turnaround. The Tykes were 21st when he came to the club, having started the season with six straight league defeats, but Ismael led them to a fifth-place finish (the club’s highest Championship finish for 20 years), before they ultimately fell to defeat in the play-off semi-finals.

However, for all his success in South Yorkshire, the 49-year-old has been unable to replicate that at any of his other clubs. His turnaround with Barnsley earned him a move to West Brom, but he lasted only a matter of months at the Hawthorns.

From there, he switched to Turkey with Besiktas, but his initial short-term contract wasn’t renewed at the end of the 2022/23 season. Last term, he spent time back in the Championship with Watford but was dismissed by the Hornets in March following a run of one win in ten.

While recent evidence is not promising, Blackburn will be hoping that Ismael still has the credentials to produce the kind of football that proved to be so successful at Barnsley. If he can come in and pick up where Eustace left off, he could earn his side a potential shot at the Premier League just a few months into his reign.