Blackburn Rovers

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Northern Ireland fans spokesperson Gary McAllister says Michael O'Neill's appointment as Blackburn Rovers manager "hasn't been very well received" by supporters.

O'Neill will take joint-charge of Championship side Blackburn and Northern Ireland until the end of the season after a short-term deal was agreed.

Blackburn are currently in the relegation places, while Northern Ireland face a World Cup play-off semi-final in Italy on 26 March as they look to reach the finals for the first time in 40 years.

McAllister, who is the chair of of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters' Clubs, said O'Neill's appointment at Ewood Park came as "something of a surprise".

"Over the last couple of days there has been some speculation, but it quickly grew legs and now there has been an announcement.

"When you look at the reaction online from fans, I don't think it has gone down particularly well. I think you have to be honest."

'Far from ideal'

McAllister said he would rather focus on the Italy game in Bergamo, rather than O'Neill's future as Northern Ireland manager, but did say the "timing was far from ideal" with just six weeks until the play-off.

"I'm not surprised by the reaction we have seen from fans, and the timing is far from ideal," he added.

"I want us all to focus on the Italy game, it will be a massive challenge for us but it's a real opportunity to get to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.

"But looking at the reaction of fans, it has not been well received unfortunately."

When asked if the atmosphere would be impacted for the game in Italy, McAllister said he did not think it would make a difference.

"Northern Ireland fans are very loyal to our team. We'll be travelling in numbers," he said.

"We'll be united behind our team, as we always are.

"Whoever the manager of our team was in the past, future or even today, we are always 100% behind the team."

McAllister also offered his reaction to the "disappointing" news that Northern Ireland's Nations League opener in Georgia.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn Rovers have named Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill as their new head coach, initially on a short-term basis.

The former Stoke City manager will also continue to lead Northern Ireland as they prepare to face Italy in the World Cup play-offs next month.

Blackburn are in the relegation zone and have won just one of their past 10 league games.

So, is O'Neill the right man? Can he keep Rovers in the Championship and will a job share really work?

Blackburn fans can have their say here and check back later for some of your responses.

Blackburn Rovers will hope to escape the bottom three as they make the trip to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

Rovers, who are currently without a manager, have only one win across their past 10 league games and are kept in the danger zone by goal difference.

That victory came against basement side Sheffield Wednesday but the Hoops will prove a much tougher task, with the hosts keen on staying in contention for the play-off places.

• Following their 1-0 win in November, QPR are looking to complete their first league double over Blackburn since 1970-71.

• Blackburn have lost three of their last four league games against QPR (W1), as many as they had in their previous 21 (W12 D6).

• Only three sides (Coventry, Ipswich and Birmingham) have scored more home goals than Queens Park Rangers in the Championship this season (28).

• Blackburn have won just two of their last 16 league games (D7 L7), a run which started with a 1-0 defeat to QPR at the end of November.

• Nicolas Madsen has twice as many assists (6) and has created twice as many chances (50) than any other QPR player in the Championship this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Blackburn caretaker boss Damien Johnson felt his side were unlucky to fall to a 2-0 defeat to Norwich at Carrow Road.

Blackburn held out in a dour game until Norwich scored in the 73rd minute and they have slipped back into the relegation zone on goal difference.

Jonnson told BBC Radio Lancashire: "Obviously I'm very disappointed with the result. Overall, for 70, 75 minutes or whatever it was, there wasn't a lot on it.

"I thought we were in the game and we had some opportunities, second-half opportunities, first-half, in terms of our crosses, territory and momentum. We obviously knew Norwich would have some moments as well.

"I think we were punished for just for two moments, a poor header and then just a slip, which can happen, so overall, disappointed.

"We nullified them for large parts. You can't think they had many clear-cut chances and I don't remember Balazs [Toth] making too many saves. So, of course, it's frustrating. But in football, you're playing against good sides and you can get punished as we were today."

The next Blackburn Rovers boss is taking over a "good group of people," says interim head coach Damien Johnson.

The former Rovers midfielder has been placed in charge following the sacking of Valerien Ismael on Monday and oversaw a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday which lifted them out of the Championship's relegation zone.

"It's really important we get the right appointment and trust the club to do that," Johnson told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"Whoever, in my opinion, is lucky enough to come into the role will inherit a fantastic group of players, that's for sure. There are some fantastic people that work here, and that's right across the sites, the academy, the STC (senior training centre) and Ewood Park."

The former Northern Ireland international is first-team technical coach and head of player development at Ewood Park and says while enjoying his time in charge, has no firm idea of how long it will last with Blackburn visiting Norwich on Saturday (12:31 GMT).

"I'm just preparing the team for Norwich. I know there's a process going on and so I will just trust the club. I've been taking it on a day-by-day basis and I'm happy to keep going until told otherwise," he added.

"It can seem daunting at times but because of the support I've had, people have made it a smooth adjustment for me and I've not felt any pressure - for me it's about putting the club first and if someone's appointed tomorrow I'll wish them all the best."

Blackburn have also confirmed their 25-man squad for the remainder of the season with long-term injured midfielder Ryan Hedges and defender George Pratt left out.

Image source, Shutterstock

Robbie Savage says links to the vacant Blackburn job are "pure speculation" and that he "can't wait to see through" his project at National League side Forest Green.

The 51-year-old former Wales international midfielder played 100 games for Blackburn from 2005 to 2008 before a move to Derby and was among the bookmakers' favourites to replace Valerien Ismael as boss at Ewood Park.

The Frenchman departed after less than 12 months at the helm on Monday with Blackburn in the Championship relegation zone, although a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday under interim boss Damien Johnson lifted them out of the bottom three on Tuesday night.

Savage took over at The New Lawn last July, having led Macclesfield to promotion to National League North the previous season in his first season as a head coach.

After being relegated from League Two in 2024 and losing the 2024-25 National League play-off semi-final on penalties after a third-placed finish, Forest Green are currently fourth in the National League, nine points off the top, but having played more games than the sides above them.

Savage told the club's media team, external on Thursday morning: "It's purely speculation. I loved my time (at Blackburn), brilliant football club.

"I have loved my time here. I have got a great relationship with (the board), we are on a journey and a project and it's something that I can't wait to see through.

"It'll be someone else's name tomorrow. There's nothing at all for the fans to worry about."

Image source, Opta

Norwich will seek to resume their climb away from the Championship relegation zone as they welcome fellow-strugglers Blackburn to Carrow Road on Saturday (12:31 GMT).

The Canaries are 18th, one point and three places above managerless Rovers, who climbed out of the bottom three courtesy of a 1-0 win over basement-boys Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday.

The Canaries saw a run of three straight league wins ended by a battling 1-0 defeat at Middlesbrough on Saturday but got back to winning ways at home with a 2-1 victory over Coventry last time out.

Rovers parted company with Valerien Ismael on Monday but picked up their first victory in nine league games against the Owls, though they are winless in six on their travels since a 2-1 win at Preston in November.

• Following their 2-0 win in August, Norwich are looking to complete the league double over Blackburn for the first time since 2018/19.

• Six of Blackburn's past 10 away league games against Norwich have finished in draws (W2 L2), with both teams scoring in nine of those 10 meetings.

• Norwich have won five of their past eight league games (L3), more than they had in their first 22 this season (W4 D6 L12).

• Blackburn are winless in their past six away league games (D3 L3), having won five of their first eight on the road this term (L3).

• At 22 Norwich's Jovon Makama is the youngest player to score 10 goals in the Championship this season.

Oladapo Afolayan wants to show how much he has improved as a player after leaving Bundesliga side St Pauli to join Blackburn Rovers.

The forward has signed an 18-month contract at Ewood Park having spent the past three years with the Hamburg-based club.

"I've been over in Germany working on my craft and played at the top level there and feel I've proved a lot," Afolayan told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"You don't get to play in the Bundesliga and Second Bundesliga which is also a very difficult level without becoming a good player."

Afolayan scored 15 goals in 60 league starts for St Pauli after making the switch from Bolton Wanderers in 2023 and believes he has learned from some of the best coaches.

"I was playing in front of 30,000 fans every other week and away games playing in massive stadiums like Schalke, Dortmund, Frankfurt and Bayern (Munich) and it's been an amazing experience and my game has improved massively from some of the great coaches I've worked with over there," he added.

"You see what Fabian Hurzeler is doing at Brighton and obviously he started at St Pauli with us and he especially made me into a better player, see the game in a different way and I'm ready to come back and use everything I've learnt over there to make an impact over here," he added.

The 28-year-old was an unused substitute in Blackburn's 1-0 Championship win over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night and is set to be involved again when Rovers visit Norwich on Saturday (12:31 GMT).

Andy Bayes
BBC Radio Lancshire

Image source, Getty Images

I asked Valerien Ismael on Saturday if it was unthinkable that his team would not beat Sheffield Wednesday in this rearranged game. The Rovers boss at the time agreed that it was, but ultimately he was not there to see it.

Damien Johnson took interim charge without a proper training session to go through the shape work that he wanted to see from his players, but despite making hard work of it, they achieved a third home victory of the season.

This was never going to be about pretty football or free-flowing, carefree moves. It was simply a case of putting the points on the board, climbing out of the drop zone and moving on to Norwich on Saturday.

You could put a case forward for this being the strongest squad that Rovers have had at their disposal all season.

The substitutes' bench over recent months has been made up of a goalkeeper, two senior left-backs who had no chance of going on, an out-of-favour striker who has since moved on, and a sprinkling of academy players and summer signings to make up the nine.

This time it had the club's two leading scorers (Andri Gudjohnsen and Yuki Ohashi), recent recruit Olodapo Afolayan and the ever-willing Ryan Alebiosu. Game-changers who could make an impact. Three of the four were used, with Afolayan remaining patient.

The headline change to the starting XI was the return of defender Hayden Carter, a player who has endured an injury nightmare for the past 15 months.

Last night was only his seventh Championship start in the past 66 games. He played for an hour and looked like he had never been away.

As for the match, Rovers started the better with an early goal from Eiran Cashin - striker's finish from a centre-back.

The always excellent Sondre Tronstad was denied by a brilliant Murphy Cooper save as well as the frame of the goal, and it seemed that a second goal would not be long in arriving.

The second half was different. Wednesday began to ask questions. Without a goal since Boxing Day in the Championship, they hit the woodwork.

Rovers' familiar home frailties began to surface and long throws from Svante Ingelsson were looking like a problem.

Johnson used the experience of his bench to alter things as Wednesday's youth team were sent on to try to find a leveller.

It never felt comfortable without the second goal; the home record this season would not allow it to be that way. But it is three points, which is a start.

Now full focus needs to go on a managerial decision. For the third February in succession an appointment is needed. Rovers' much maligned key decision-makers have to get this spot on, or they could face dire consequences.

Blackburn caretaker boss Damien Johnson was delighted to beat Sheffield Wednesday 1-0 after Valerien Ismael's departure and for Eiran Cashin to get his first Rovers goal.

The victory lifted Blackburn out of the bottom three on goal difference above West Brom and Johnson told BBC Radio Lancashire: "We all knew it was a big game for us tonight.

"It's not been an easy 24 hours. So the message was can we get that win? And it didn't really matter how we did it, we just needed to get it over the line.

"It wasn't pretty at times, but unbelievable credit to the players, they were fantastic.

"It's good when defenders can chip in with goals, so we're really pleased. Cash has been terrific since he's been at the club.

"It was a good little period for us, we had a couple of crosses and shots, so it was nice to convert the chance because we know how important the first goals are."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you how you felt about Valerien Ismael's exit from Blackburn Rovers on transfer deadline day and it seems the timing has got you puzzled.

Here is what you had to say:

Elliot: When the side rallied at the back of last season, I was willing to give him a chance into this season. But it's never got going under him and I don't feel the players were ever particularly happy either.

I don't think we'd be here if Lewis Travis and Dom Hyam were still in the squad but the squad is still better than this.

Jack: Correct decision to roll the dice and get someone else in, but should have been made a month sooner.

Horrible mismanagement of senior contracts in the last few seasons has led us to where we are now, but Ismael hasn't got the best out of the players we have and some shocking substitutions have cost us points in big games.

No faith in the board to make the right appointment but we need someone who can lift heads on the pitch and in the stands now. If only we'd ended things with Tony Mowbray on better terms...

Ferg: Whatever the issues with injuries, ownership, style or system, the slide down the table and lack of belief has felt palpable and he's seemed bereft of answers.

I quite liked his honesty and frank approach but if that only translates as relegation form... sorry Val, but it was the right time to go.

Cruise: Though we can have sympathy for things that were outside Val's control (the games being called off; the injury crisis; most of our Championship experience being sold hurriedly as the September window closed and replaced with unproven overseas players), nevertheless he seemed like a yes man that did not have what it takes to eke out a win with the players he had.

Something had to be done if Venky's were serious about trying to stay in this league.

The Rovers fans I talk with and the forums I follow, the vocal majority wanted Val gone back before January, and at some point during this crisis where Venky's are being slaughtered on socials and now in national newspaper articles as "disconnected from the fans", you can't ignore that clamour.

Jack: I don't necessarily blame Ismael for the form we're in and quite liked the way he spoke as our manager.

Our absent owners and the senior staff members have a lot to answer for. They sanctioned sales for a load of senior players over summer and replaced them with cheap inexperienced targets from lower leagues in Europe. Pep Guardiola would struggle to keep us up at this point.

Steve: With a worse win ratio than Steve Kean, the writing was on the wall. But the trigger should've been pulled earlier to give another manager time to bring in some players. Unless that was the plan.

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Altrincham have signed defender Charlie Olson from Blackburn Rovers on a permanent deal.

Last season Olson, 21, spent seven months on loan with the Robins, where he played 20 games.

He had a loan spell with Oldham Athletic in League Two before Christmas, but only played three cup ties.

Andy Bayes
Sports editor, BBC Radio Lancashire

Image source, Getty Images

To announce the departure of a head coach five hours before the transfer window closes is a little different, but the executives at Blackburn Rovers probably felt that they had no choice following an eighth home defeat of the season on Saturday.

When I spoke to Valerien Ismael after the defeat by Hull City, he couldn't defend that record, and he didn't particularly back himself to turn things around either, after a run of one win in 15 games in all competitions.

In a little under a year in charge, he won 11 of his 43 games. A win percentage like that is always going to be scrutinised, and rightly so.

The playing roster has undergone enormous change under his tenure. Experienced Championship stalwarts have been replaced by those with little or no experience of the level. Some have settled, while others have found it tough. This was a decision made above Ismael and one that they admitted in September was a risk.

Only Adam Forshaw and Todd Cantwell started both Ismael's first and final game in charge.

He inherited a team sixth in the Championship but ultimately failed to make the play-offs after five straight defeats in the run-in. Four wins and a draw from the final five saw them come close, but not close enough, and it never really felt that the fanbase was entirely won over.

This season, a run of four wins in five during October and November was a positive sign that things were moving in the right direction, but Ismael only tasted victory once more from that point on.

He had horrendous luck with injuries. For weeks on end it was double figures in terms of absentees; for the recent visit to Swansea, that number rose to 14.

But he remained convinced that once those injuries cleared up, the results would come. Time was against him to make that happen.

He did admit to me before Christmas that managing Rovers was the most challenging experience of his career, completely different from what he had experienced before.

Whoever comes next is a huge call. Staying in the second tier is absolutely imperative.

Transfer deadline day is never without drama and Blackburn Rovers took centre stage after boss Valerien Ismael left the club by mutual consent mere hours before the window closes.

Was it the right call, Rovers fans?

With the winter transfer window all but closed, is now the time to be in the managerial market?

Who do you want to see tackle the remainder of the season?

Let us know your thoughts here and check back later to see a selection of your verdicts on Ismael's departure.

Image source, Getty Images

Today is the final chance of the season for your Championship team to do transfer business.

The window closes at 19:00 GMT, meaning teams - and fans - can avoid the usual late-night transfer scramble.

It has already been a busy window - for some teams anyway - but whether it turns out to be a day of transfer action or a pretty quiet one for your club, you will be able to keep across it all on BBC Sport.

Follow our live text coverage throughout the day here

Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday are looking to change their fortunes with both sides coming into the clash on Tuesday (19:45 GMT) holding two of the worst forms in the Championship.

Rovers' narrow 0-1 loss to Hull City on Saturday was their 14th of the season and leaves them three points from safety in 22nd (W7 D8 L14).

They haven't won a league match since their 2-0 victory against Millwall in December whilst Wednesday's home defeat to Wrexham over the weekend was their seventh consecutive in all competitions. They are rooted at the bottom on -7 points (W1 D8 L20).

• The last two league meetings between Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday have finished level, with the reverse fixture this season ending goalless in December – the pair have only previously drawn three in a row between October 1914 and October 1919.

• Sheffield Wednesday have lost only two of their last nine Championship away games against Blackburn Rovers (W3 D4), going unbeaten on each of their most recent three trips to Ewood Park (W1 D2).

• Blackburn Rovers have won just one of their last 13 home league games played in midweek (Tue/Wed/Thu – D6 L6), going winless in eight (D3 L5) since a 3-0 win over Portsmouth in January last year.

• Sheffield Wednesday are winless in their last 10 away league games (D3 L7), last going longer without victory on the road between April and November 2013 (12). Only Shrewsbury Town (6) have won fewer away points in the EFL so far in 2025-26 than the Owls (7 – P13 W1 D4 L8).

• Blackburn manager Valerien Ismael has only lost one of his six Championship games against Sheffield Wednesday (W2 D3), suffering a home defeat with Barnsley in a Yorkshire derby in March 2021.