FIFA advisor installed favourite to be new Blackburn manager amid Valerien Ismael sack latest
Blackburn Rovers are not in a good spot going into 2026.
The former Premier League champions sit 20th in the Championship and are slowly being dragged closer and closer to the drop zone.
While Blackburn are predicted to survive relegation, their situation is far from envious, with the 2-0 defeat to Wrexham on New Year’s Day highlighting their faults.
In their last nine games, Rovers have only won once, with many of Blackburn’s players being poor so far this season.
Now, Valerien Ismael may find himself under pressure, with the former West Brom manager edging closer to the sack.
Damien Duff favourite to be next Blackburn Rovers manager
As it stands, Ismael is one of the favourites to be sacked next in the Championship.
One bookmaker has the manager as the fifth-favourite to be given the boot as Rovers continue to struggle to win games.
As a result, the bookies are now speculating on who could take over Ismael if he were sacked, with Damien Duff the favourite.
The former Blackburn star was recently the manager of Shelbourne before he stepped down in 2025.
🗣️ Valerien Ismael spoke to RoversTV after today’s game.#ROVvWXM | #Rovers 🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/kdxOqON0Sg
— Blackburn Rovers (@Rovers) January 1, 2026
Since then, Duff was appointed as a FIFA Technical Adviser for the Under 17s World Cup.
However, he could now step back into management, with one bookmaker putting the odds of a Blackburn appointment as low as 4/1.
Who else is linked to the Blackburn Rovers job?
As well as Duff, there are plenty of other managers in the running.
A sensational return for Tony Mowbray could be on the cards, with the former West Brom manager at 6/1.
David Wagner and Lee Carsley are also in the running, with the odds placed at 8/1 and 10/1.
A potential outsider for the job is former coach David Lowe, who departed Ewood Park in the summer.
Previously, the coach was the caretaker manager before Ismael’s appointment, and he won two out of three games in the dugout.
Lowe’s odds of a Blackburn return are currently placed at 12/1 in what would be a surprise turn of events in the second half of the campaign.