Steven Gerrard to Blackburn stunned verdict: 'My God'

15/02/2025 15:12

Blackburn Rovers will be the talk of English football if they appoint Steven Gerrard as their new manager, according to Paul Merson.

Despite currently challenging for a place in the Championship play-offs, the Ewood Park club now find themselves looking for a new manager.

After reports emerged linking Blackburn head coach John Eustace with the job at Derby County, the 45-year-old’s return to Pride Park was confirmed earlier this week.

Since then, a number of names have been touted as potential replacements for Eustace at the Lancashire outfit.

Now Merson has made his feeling known about who the club should be targeting be take over in the dugout.

Steven Gerrard to Ewood Park verdict issued

Gerrard is currently out of work after leaving Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq late last month, and is one of the names to have been linked with the vacant managerial role at Blackburn.

Gary O’Neil, who left Premier League strugglers Wolves earlier this season, and Richie Wellens, whose Leyton Orient side are challenging for a place in the play-offs in League One, have also been touted as options for Rovers.

Merson has suggested that either of those other two would be more suitable options for the Lancashire side over the former Liverpool midfielder, even if his appointment would create a major talking point.

Speaking about some of those to have been linked with the Blackburn job on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday (12:37pm), the ex-England international said: “I would go Gary O’Neil. Richie Wellens or Gary O’Neil in my opinion. Steven Gerrard’s been in Saudi Arabia so I don’t really know about that one.

“But Gary O’Neil or Richie Wellens, I think the job Richie Wellens has done at Orient has been phenomenal, you’ve got to remember where Orient were as well and the job he’s done, the football they play.

“Not only that [a good game against Man City in the FA Cup last weekend] they turned up in midweek and won. Sometimes after the Lord Mayor’s show it doesn’t happen, and that’s when you know you’ve got a good manager, when he can get them players right up straight away…

“I mean, if they went and got Steven Gerrard. My God we’d be talking about Blackburn.”

Blackburn Rovers should stay away from Liverpool icon

Football Insider Verdict

It is absolutely vital that the decision makers at Ewood Park get things right when it comes to the appointment of their next manager.

Given their current position in the Championship table, Blackburn do still have the chance to win promotion to the Premier League this season.

That though is surely a chance they have to take in the next few months, given half of their first-team squad have contracts or loan deals expire in the summer.

As a result getting the correct manager in to oversee this run-in is vital, to make the most of these foundations while they are still there.

While he may have had an excellent playing career, Gerrard’s time as a manager has been far less inspiring, and it is hard to imagine his appointment would inspire much confidence at Blackburn.

By contrast, O’Neil or Wellens, who have a greater managerial reputation and more recent experience in England would feel like more solid options to take over at Ewood Park.

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