For Blackburn managers of the recent past, this has been the cruellest month. Jon Dahl Tomasson and John Eustace left the club in February 2024 and 2025 respectively when they became disconnected from the club’s unpopular owners, Venky’s. The problem for the current manager, Valérien Ismaël, is that fans are growing increasingly anxious for another change in the dugout as the cycle repeats itself. It has been another winter of discontent at Ewood Park.
After finishing seventh last season thanks to a late season surge under Ismaël, there will be no push for the top six this time. A scrappy defeat by Hull via Lewis Koumas’s 81st-minute winner made it one win in 15 games in all competitions, Rovers now mired in the relegation zone and the prospect of dropping to League One is alarmingly real with a three-point gap to West Brom in the last safe position.
A game of few chances was ultimately seized by the in-form and more authoritative side, with Hull starting strongly by creating opportunities for Liam Millar and Regan Slater. Blackburn began brightly after the break, Mathias Jørgensen a useful outlet on the right with his crosses. But the home side’s confidence ebbed away when Koumas, the debutant on loan from Liverpool, slotted home after smart interplay between Amir Hadziahmetovic and Kyle Joseph, the latter’s first-time pass splitting Blackburn’s defence.
There were at least a few more fans after last Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Watford was subject to a boycott by the Blackburn Rovers Supporters Coalition. The group is pushing for a “phased strategic boycott of home fixtures” until Venky’s sells the club. Some members of the group even travelled 10 miles to watch Chorley in the National League North and display their protest banners. The group is urging fans to avoid buying club merchandise or food and drink in the stadium on matchdays.
There is seemingly no end to the sense of chaos around Blackburn. On Thursday the kit supplier, Macron, was taking legal action against the club, claiming a breach of contract. The deal expires at the end of the season.
Rovers have urged their fans to “show unity” through it all, but there was little togetherness on display once Koumas’s winner went in. As the 3,000 Hull supporters erupted, some of the home fans began to drift away. It would have been 2-0, but for a fine Balazs Toth save to deny Joseph, a Hull substitute.
Despite the sparse crowd and fan unrest, this game should have been the start of a pivotal few days to boost Blackburn. Ismaël has called for new signings as the transfer deadline looms on Monday, despite welcoming some key players coming back from injury.
He said: “We have to ensure we have enough power for the final push so we have to think about everything, and if we have the possibility of adding another one we will – Sunday and Monday have to be busy for us.”
Andri Gudjohnsen’s return from a hamstring injury was certainly gratefully received, the striker coming off the bench on 66 minutes. He had little effect but there is hope the Icelandic international, son of the former Chelsea striker Eidur, can solve Blackburn’s bluntness in front of goal with current No 9, Yuki Ohashi, struggling, without a goal since 20 December.
“The timing, just before Christmas, was very painful,” Ismaël said of Gudjohnsen’s spell on the sidelines. “But now he’s back and it’s a big boost and a lift for everyone and another option. I want to have those decisions about who will start the game, who will be in the squad and what players will be left at home. I welcome that problem because it means everyone is coming back.”
Ismaël has regularly cursed Blackburn’s bad luck this season and, on many occasions, it has felt fair mitigation. Twice they have had games abandoned while leading 1-0, although the state of the pitch – and the lack of investment in it from Venky’s – can take a chunk of the blame. Having 14 players out injured at the same time was another piece of misfortune, Ismaël claimed, although some fans cite a lack of squad rotation, causing burnout.
The Frenchman could have no excuses after another home defeat – Blackburn’s eighth of the season in the league – when they simply did not shoot enough to hurt their opponents, despite regularly getting into the final third.
“I don’t know why it’s so complicated,” Ismaël said of his side’s inability to win at home. “It’s not about the performance today, it’s not about the desire or the mentality.
“At some point you have to get your reward and make sure you score a goal. To concede that goal and leave with nothing is tough to take. The power is there, the will is there, maybe we’re thinking too much at the minute.”
