Pundit urges Blackburn Rovers to appoint ex-Wolves boss instead of three new names linked | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on the latest developments in Blackburn Rovers' search for a new manager

Carlton Palmer believes that Blackburn Rovers should avoid the likes of Pepin Lijnders, Aitor Karanka or Valerien Ismael amid their search for a new manager.

It was reported earlier this week by Alan Nixon that the Lancashire outfit are finalising the interview stages, as they look to replace John Eustace.

All three names have emerged as potential options, with Alex Crook claiming earlier this week that ex-Wolves manager Gary O’Neil is no longer in the running.

Eustace made the switch to Derby County earlier this month, jumping ship amid Blackburn’s push for a play-off place.

Carlton Palmer issues Blackburn manager search warning

Palmer has suggested that O’Neil would be his preferred candidate to take over Blackburn at this stage.

He believes that Karanka, Lijnders and Ismael would all be a step below what Rovers need to push on and compete for Premier League promotion.

“Pep Lijnders, Aitor Karanka and Valerien Ismael are all being linked with the Blackburn Rovers job,” Palmer told Football League World.

“Apparently, Blackburn are conducting a last round of interviews for the job.

“Blackburn currently sat in a play-off place on 51 points, they’re in fifth place in the league, got a little bit of work still to do to the end of the season to secure a play-off place.

“It’s interesting, for me, neither one of those would be my choice to take over the choice.

“If I were looking to push on, I would be looking to pay compensation to get a manager out, or I’d be looking at the likes of Gary O’Neil, who I thought was quite impressive at Wolverhampton Wanderers, he did a great job there.

“It just shows me, with all due respect to the candidates that have been mentioned there, Pep, Aitor and Valerien, that is the quality of manager they’re looking for, and that’s why they’ve lost the likes of John Eustace out the door.

“Because these three managers will come in, work under the constraints that the football club is [under], which basically is you are the coach, you coach the players that are brought into the football club, you have no control as head coach.

“And obviously with these guys they just want to get back into work, so they all would be interested in taking the job.”

Carlton Palmer makes Blackburn manager search claim

Palmer has claimed that Blackburn will need to give up an element of control on the team if they are going to attract the kind of manager that will get them back to the Premier League.

“For me, as I said, it wouldn’t be any of those three,” he continued.

“There are a lot of good candidates out of work, but the candidates that are out of work, like the likes of Gary O’Neil, will want assurances, they’ll want control over the playing side of the football club and that’s not the way Blackburn Rovers are run currently.

“And that’s why John Eustace is not the manager of the football club.

“As I said, not any of those would be my choice to take over, especially when you’re in the [play-off] position.

“A few more wins you can secure a play-off spot, and then have a chance of getting promotion to the Premier League.”

Eustace departure should be wake-up call for Blackburn

It’s not often a manager willingly jumps from a team inside the top six to a side competing at the very bottom of that same division.

That both Eustace and Jon Dahl Tomasson have left under such circumstances in the last 12 months should be a wake-up call for the club.

Other managers will certainly take notice, and that could be part of why O’Neil won’t be taking over.