Ex-Aston Villa and Middlesbrough striker Rudy Gestede returns to Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

Blackburn have confirmed that former striker Rudy Gestede has returned to the club as Head of Football Operations.

Rovers have just endured a tough season, but they were ultimately successful in their bid to stay in the Championship, as a win at champions Leicester City on the final day saved John Eustace’s side.

Now, it’s about building on that, and it appears that Blackburn are changing the off-field structure ahead of what is expected to be a very busy summer window.

Rudy Gestede lands new Blackburn Rovers role

That’s after the club announced on their official site that Gestede will be the new Head of Football Operations, whilst John Park is the new Head of Recruitment, as he is another who is coming back to Ewood Park.

The club explained that they feel Gestede will bring a ‘modern and progressive approach’ to the role, with the former target man having been involved in the business world since his retirement from football two years ago.

Clearly, this will come with plenty of responsibility for Gestede, who is set to work closely with CEO Steve Waggott, and he will also have a relationship with Eustace and Park as they look to ensure Blackburn can look forward and kick-on.

However, Gestede’s work isn’t going to be totally focused on the first-team, as he will also oversee different aspects of the club, including financial and the non-football side.

Rudy Gestede sends Blackburn Rovers message

Even though Gestede has a connection with the club from his playing days, when he scored 35 goals in 72 appearances for Rovers, this is a bold move from the Championship side.

And, speaking to the club’s media, the ex-Benin international explained that he was grateful for the faith shown in him, as he outlined what his new job will entail.

“I couldn’t take my first steps into life off the pitch in a better place than with Blackburn Rovers. I can only thank the Ownership, Steve Waggott and Suhail for giving me the opportunity to start and I’m very excited to be part of this environment now. I will give 100% for the club, just as I did when I was a player here.

“I’m very excited and so pleased to be back, and looking forward to the start of the new season. My role will be to oversee every department at the Senior Training Centre, from administration to catering to recruitment, and making sure every department is linked together with the Academy.

“As a club, we should all be aligned as one and pushing in the same direction, from the Academy to the first team. It’s important for someone to link it all together, and I’ll make sure I do my best to help us reach the same goal.”

Blackburn Rovers’ summer plans

It will be interesting to see how Gestede does, as he is obviously inexperienced, but this is a great opportunity for him, and the decision to bring Park back looks like a sensible one.

The club deserve credit for getting this sorted quickly, as they need everything in place ahead of what is a massive summer window.

We know mistakes have been made in the past, but Rovers need to get it right in the market over the next few months, as the squad is lacking in key areas, and they’ve got a battle on their hands to keep hold of the influential Sammie Szmodics.

So, it will be interesting to see how this plays out, and what sort of impact both Gestede and Park can have on the club.