Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Mowbray has said he hopes that the club hire a "development coach" to replace him at the club.

Mowbray appeared to confirm that he was leaving the club last week, with his contract expiring in the summer and having held no renewal discussions.

Now, speaking following Blackburn's 3-0 defeat to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, Mowbray said that he hoped the next man in charge would be someone who could get the best out of Rovers' young players.

“Hopefully the next coach is a development coach who works with young players and can find a way to make the young talent that’s coming through at this club better.” Mowbray said, via Lancashire Telegraph.

“I can only see good things, as long as a coach is developing the team, but I also understand for the support base wanting to get someone who wins."

“The correlation of that isn’t quite right, because if you want to get someone in just to win, then you have to spend money to bring players in to help them do that, because at the moment this is a young team that’s got plenty of talent but needs plenty of guidance."

“They have to get the right appointment that can create an identity, that can have empathy with young players. He has to connect with them.”

Blackburn were having a promising campaign under Mowbray in the first half of the season, with the likes of Ben Brereton-Diaz and others shining as Rovers found themselves high up the table.

In 2022 however, their form has fallen off dramatically.

Now, with just one game remaining and one win in their last five, Blackburn sit ninth in the Championship standings - well short of the play-off places.

The Verdict

We don't often hear managers talking about the potential coach that is going to replace them so it's interesting to hear Tony Mowbray discussing Blackburn's next appointment.

It is also interesting to hear that he feels they need a coach that can develop their younger players as opposed to a winning one, as he puts it, but surely Blackburn fans can hope for both.

The club, despite their horrific 2022 form are still only six points adrift of the top six this season so haven't fallen dramatically short this campaign, at least points wise.

It must be said, though, that they may lose some key players when the summer transfer window arrives.