Blackburn Rovers have not contacted Gary Rowett about replacing Valerien Ismael.

According to the Lancashire Telegraph, the Championship team has not discussed the position with the out-of-work coach.

Rowett has previously managed a variety of second-tier clubs, most recently Oxford United.

The 51-year-old had been in charge of the U’s for about a year when he was fired on December 23, 2025, with the club facing relegation to League One at Kassam Stadium.

Blackburn fired Ismael following last weekend’s 1-0 loss to Hull City, and Rovers are also in danger of relegation to the third tier.

Blackburn Rovers’ Gary Rowett’s stance

Despite the fact that Rowett is out of work, Blackburn have apparently not held any negotiations with him about being their next first-team head coach.

It is unclear whether he is being considered at all after his name soared to the top of the betting markets this week, with a number of other names emerging as potential candidates for the position.

Chris Coleman, like Slaven Bilic, is said to be of interest to the Rovers board.

The former Wales manager is presently bereft of a job after leaving Greek club Asteras Tripolis last month.

The 55-year-old has not managed an English team since leaving Sunderland in 2018.

Meanwhile, Bilic is also a free agent, having most recently managed Al-Fateh.

The Croatian has been out of work since August 2024, following a 13-month stint in command of the Saudi Arabian team, with his previous English football position coming with Watford in 2023.

Blackburn are currently 21st in the Championship table, just ahead of 22nd place West Brom due to a superior goal difference.

Next up for Rovers is a trip to face 18th place Norwich City on Saturday in a 12.31pm kick-off.

Gary Rowett would be a perfect fit for Blackburn.

Rowett has extensive experience working in the Championship, so he understands what it takes to keep a squad in the level.

While his tenure at Oxford United ended with the squad in relegation trouble, he should be able to guide the Lancashire club in the right path.

However, Blackburn are doing an excellent job of keeping things under wraps, with no obvious candidate emerging as the dominant contender thus far.

However, a decision must be taken quickly, as a club in their division cannot afford to waste time looking for a coach in the middle of the season.