Championship side Blackburn Rovers have received applications from over 60 managers who are interested in succeeding Tony Mowbray at Ewood Park, according to the Lancashire Telegraph.

Mowbray is confirmed to be leaving on the expiration of his contract this summer after seeing his side fall out of the play-offs, starting the season surprisingly well following the departures of Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliott and they managed to retain their consistency.

Ben Brereton Diaz's scintillating form during the early stages of the campaign played a big part in that, gaining confidence from his time with the Chile national team and helping to fill the goalscoring void Armstrong left following his departure to Southampton.

However, they have struggled at times in recent months and this led to the Lancashire side dropping out of the play-off zone in April, a real blow to the second-tier side who had spent the majority of the campaign in the promotion mix.

Finishing eighth, still exceeding many peoples' expectations, Mowbray and the club's board have mutually agreed that it's the right time for the 58-year-old to step aside and there are no shortage of candidates in the running for the top job.

Gareth Ainsworth, Carlos Carvalhal, Daniel Farke and Chris Hughton are all thought to be the front runners at this point, though other names could potentially enter the mix as the managerial search continues with over 60 applications being submitted.

The Verdict:

Considering some of the talented youngsters they have at their disposal including John Buckley and Tyrhys Dolan, this job would be an attractive one for many, though they face the likelihood of working within a limited budget.

Rovers did generate £15m for Armstrong and they would probably receive a hefty fee for Brereton Diaz too despite only having a year left on his contract, a sale they may decide to sanction in the coming months to prevent the possibility of losing him for free.

So there are pros and cons to taking this job, although Mowbray has left the club in a decent position following his five years in charge, bringing stability and setting the club up for success in the future.

Although it's down to his successor to make sure that good work continues, the board will also need to step up and back the manager so they can put their own stamp on the team and build for the long term.

Bringing in loanees may be a cheap option - but they need more permanent additions so they can execute a clear plan to get themselves back to the top tier. Following such a promising season, they can't afford to set their expectations lower now.