Slaven Bilic lined up for Championship return as sack news emerges
Slaven Bilic is emerging as an option for Blackburn Rovers if they decide to sack current boss Valerien Ismael.
Blackburn currently sit 22nd in the Championship, one place behind West Brom, and on a run of nine games without a win in all competitions.
Since Christmas, Rovers have picked up just seven points, with only the Albion and bottom club Sheffield Wednesday having a worse return in that time.
Bilic was strongly linked to the West Brom job when Ryan Mason was dismissed, but the Baggies eventually appointed Eric Ramsay.
Blackburn consider Slaven Bilic in relegation battle
According to talkSPORT, Bilic is on Blackburn’s shortlist should they decide that Ismael has taken the club as far as he can.
Ismael, who had a horrid seven-month spell at West Brom during the 2021-22 season, has been in charge at Ewood Park for just under a year.
Bilic, who had a more successful tenure at Albion, guiding them to the Premier League in 2020, has been out of work since he left Al-Fateh in August 2024.
The Croatian is joined on Blackburn’s shortlist by another former West Brom boss, Tony Mowbray.
Mowbray guided the Baggies to the Championship title in the 2007-08 season, and was very well liked around The Hawthorns before leaving to join Celtic in 2009.
He returned for a less successful spell in January 2025, though, lasting just three months before being dismissed.
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Valerien Ismael leads Eric Ramsay in sack race
Ismael and Ramsay are the two most under-pressure managers in the Championship, unsurprisingly so given the league position of their respective sides.
On current form, it seems that one of West Brom or Blackburn will be relegated to League One at the end of the season, if not both, considering Oxford United’s recent upturn in results.
According to one bookmaker, Ismael is the current favourite to lose his job, sitting at 4/6 to be the next manager sacked in the Championship.
| Team | Manager | Odds |
| Blackburn | Valerien Ismael | 4/6 |
| West Brom | Eric Ramsay | 11/4 |
| Sheffield Wednesday | Henrik Pedersen | 6/1 |
Despite only being in charge since the middle of January, Ramsay is close behind, valued at just 11/4.
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