Image source, Blackburn Rovers.

Valerien Ismael is in his sixth term in English football, the fourth as a head coach after playing for Crystal Palace over 25 years ago.

He’s been out of management for just than a year, having left Watford after 40 games in March 2024, and now takes over a Blackburn Rovers squad that is sixth with a dozen games remaining.

The deal may be long-term (three years), but the short-term goal is clear: earn a play-off position.

If Ismael succeeds, he will be the first of ten appointments under Venky’s control to do so.

Initially, this appointment was not planned for February. John Eustace was going through a difficult period in terms of outcomes, but everything appeared to be under control. But when Derby came calling, Rovers were unable to keep him. The previous several weeks have been all about meeting the right man.

A shortlist was created after receiving over 100 expressions of interest, with the bookmaker’s favourite changing on a regular basis.

CEO Steve Waggott, along with chief operating officer Suhail Shaikh and head of football operations Rudy Gestede, are entrusted with narrowing down the applicants to a far more manageable amount.

Initial phone chats were followed by virtual meetings before in-person discussions to select the perfect candidate.

Ismael’s experience in the second division has surely benefited his application. His involvement at Barnsley, albeit four years ago, could have swung the vote; 25 wins from 44 games and a strong second half of the season clinched a play-off position, which they eventually lost to Swansea.

The Frenchman was known for making early substitutes. He wasn’t hesitant to make a lot of them at halftime, or even before the hour mark.

It’s certainly something Eustace brought to his club this year, stating how it gave the Tykes an advantage over others in the 2021 playoff race.

Cauley Woodrow, who now plays for Blackburn, was his leading scorer in that play-off season. Another Rovers player, Callum Brittain, was also a member of that squad, missing only six games all season.

Both will know what to anticipate moving forward, as will Emmanuel Dennis, who played under Ismael at Watford last season.

West Bromwich Albion was the club where his time in England did not go well. With the Baggies unable to react to his techniques and style of play, he left in February 2022 after only one win in eight games. The football on display seemed to fall short.

A brief glance at Ismael’s resume reveals that longevity is missing. His longest managerial stint to date has been 50 games with Austrian club LASK. Undoubtedly, if he hadn’t departed to join the Baggies, he would have gone far beyond that milestone at Barnsley, but it is still worth noting.

The club’s statement underlines his basic values of respect, discipline, commitment, and hard work. If he has the much-talked-about new manager bounce, that may be enough.

There are twelve games left to play, six at home and six away; whether the season continues beyond the final day visit to Sheffield United remains to be seen.

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