'The waiting game rumbles on at Rovers'

David Lowe has won both of his games in temporary charge of Rovers

The wait for a head coach goes on at Blackburn Rovers.

It's been two weeks since John Eustace first heard of Derby's interest to take him from Ewood Park to Pride Park and well over a week since he said his goodbyes in Lancashire and joined the Rams.

His departure could have set the players back. It hasn't. The togetherness that Eustace so often preached has never been so evident.

Back-to-back 2-0 victories have been both convincing and comprehensive. A defence with one clean sheet in eleven league games prior to Eustace leaving hasn't really looked like being breached by either West Bromwich Albion or Plymouth Arygle.

Long-serving David Lowe has taken on the role of interim head coach, ably assisted by Damien Johnson and things appear to be calm. There is a harmony between the coaching staff, the playing staff and the supporters and a dressing room that is largely managing itself.

It's the classic Catch-22 situation that the powers-that-be find themselves in ahead of Lowe's third match in charge.

If he wins, the clamour will understandably be to leave things as they are. A defeat and the necessity for a new boss before the home match against Norwich on 1 March will go into overdrive.

Edging closer to Ewood appointment

More than 100 expressions of interest in the job have been considered and whittled down to a more manageable number. Formal interviews have taken place in the capital and it appears that it's only a matter of time until an appointment is made.

The last time that a managerial change took place, in February 2024, a departure and an appointment were announced in the same hour.

Rovers' Premier League title winning midfielder Mark Atkins believes that a great deal of care must be taken of who comes next.

He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "If you think you've got the right man then bring him in straight away. It's so important that they get the right man for these players. If they haven't, then don't rush it.

"Don't bring someone in for the sake of it, bring them in on their name. This is the perfect time for someone to come in and get them in the play-offs."

Whoever takes on the role is inheriting a squad that have taken the division by surprise. If an appointment is made imminently, they'll inherit a team in the play-off places and be in with a shout.

It's been suggested that the players have over-achieved to this point. Nobody has more than half a dozen league goals to their name. The burden has been shared since the departure of Sam Szmodics to Ipswich in August.

But, a flick through the goals catalogue from this season will show you that some of the football they're playing has been terrific.

Rovers' results with captain Lewis Travis in the team have shown his importance. Despite missing eight league games through injury, he's missed only two of the victories. Without their skipper, they are simply not the same. If they are victorious at Swansea, what happens next will be very interesting.