Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked) | OneFootball

Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked) | OneFootball

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·29 September 2024

Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

Article image:Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

Some managerial appointments have backfired badly at Ewood Park

Most Blackburn Rovers fans will likely be rather pleased with their club's managerial situation at this moment in time.


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Initially, John Eustace did struggle to win over some supporters following his appointment at Ewood Park back in February.

With the club battling to avoid relegation from the Championship, wins remained hard to come by under the manager.

Indeed, it was only a final day win away at Leicester that secured safety for Blackburn, leaving some to question whether the 44-year-old was the right man for the job this season.

But after a productive start to the season that has brought about some improved results and performances, Eustace now looks to have secured the full backing of the Ewood Park faithful.

There is a sense that if things continue this way, he could potentially be the man to take Blackburn forward once again.

However, things have not always gone so well at Ewood Park when it comes to managerial appointments in recent years.

Many of those brought into the Rovers dugout have failed to get results, consequently leaving the club in considerable trouble in the process.

With that in mind, we've taken a look at the five worst Blackburn managers of all time, according to Transfermarkt, based on their Points Per Game records.

Article image:Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

Michael Appleton was appointed as Blackburn manager in January 2013, arriving just 65 days after he had named as Blackpool manager.

Initially, he started well in the role, winning three of his first five games in charge, and also claiming the scalp of Arsenal in the FA Cup at the Emirates Stadium.

After that victory over the Gunners, however, Appleton failed to win any of his next eight games in charge, leading to him becoming another managerial casualty in a turbulent season at Rovers.

He left the club after 67 days in charge, with Blackburn sitting 18th in the Championship, four points clear of the bottom three, with a points per game ratio of 1.13.

4 Owen Coyle - 1.11 PPG

Article image:Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

Given his connection to the club's local rivals Burnley, and his struggles in his recent roles, the appointment of Owen Coyle in the summer of 2016 did seem a strange one.

Indeed, the Scot immediately struggled to both get results and win over the fanbase at Ewood Park, and by February 2017, he was sacked.

Coyle departed after just 11 wins in 37 games across all competitions, recording a points per game ratio of just 1.11.

Ultimately though, his dismissal came too late, with Blackburn suffering relegation from the Championship to League One at the end of the 2016/17 season.

3 Steve Kean - 1.07 PPG

There is unlikely to be a less popular manager among Rovers fans than Steve Kean, who took charge of first-team following the sacking of Sam Allardyce in December 2010.

The appointment was a controversial one, given his agent, Jerome Anderson, had been influential in helping owners Venkys buy the club just a month earlier.

Under him, Blackburn just avoided relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2010/11 season, but fell into the Championship a year later, and have never returned to the top-flight.

Kean himself would depart Ewood Park in September 2012 with a points per game tally of 1.07, having finally got the message of the fanbase's protests against him, calling his position "untenable".

Article image:Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

Following the departure of Mark Hughes for Manchester City, Paul Ince had some big shoes to fill when he took charge at Ewood Park in the summer of 2008.

The previous season had seen Ince enhance his reputation by guiding MK Dons to the League Two title, but the step-up to the Premier League was seemingly too much of an ask.

Under Ince, Blackburn won just six out of 21 games in all competitions, before he was sacked in December 2008 with the club 19th in the Premier League table, five points from safety.

Upon his departure from the club, the former England international had recorded a points per game ratio of just 1.05.

Article image:Blackburn Rovers' 5 worst managers ever (Ranked)

As a player, Henning Berg won a Premier League and League Cup title, as well as a second-tier promotion at Ewood Park, meaning he will always be a Blackburn legend.

However, his appointment as the club's manager in October 2012 would end up being nothing short of a disaster.

The Norwegian won just one of ten games in charge of Rovers, while losing six more before being sacked just 57 days after his appointment.

Under Berg, Blackburn slipped from fifth to 17th in the Championship table, with the former centre-back recording a points per game tally of 0.6, by some way the lowest on this list.

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