Psycho Caught Up In A Game Of High Risk

Keith Downing has found himself embroiled in one of the hottest talking points of the Championship season. Or at least his boss, John Eustace, has.

By jumping ship from a club in the top six (Blackburn) and boarding one very much in a relegation battle (Derby), the duo have made a move for which the term ‘jeopardy’ is barely sufficient.

They have given up the possibility of a place in the end-of-season play-offs that would be a remarkable achievement considering the perennially tight Ewood Park purse strings.

Rovers’ meagre spending last summer, not to mention the departure to Ipswich of their prime goalscorer, Sammie Szmodics, had left expectations low at the club at the start of 2024-25. 

But Eustace and Downing mirrored the excellent work they had earlier done together at Birmingham by overseeing a fine challenge that had Blackburn in the top six at the two-thirds stage of the campaign after last season’s final-day dodging of relegation.

All of which makes their decision a crazy one. Or does it?

True, dangers that were not going to afflict their working lives in the forseeable future have suddenly been introduced in a big way.

They have brought upon themselves a certain amount of derision and the watching outside world will be keeping a close eye on Rovers’ trip to the East Midlands early next month, waiting to hurl more scorn their way.

If Eustace and Downing can just ride the storm, though, overcome their unhappy start at Pride Park and use the next 12 games to stave off the very real threat of relegation, they will see happier times ahead.

Derby are considerably bigger than Blackburn as a club and are much closer to home for the managerial duo and the third West Midlands-based member of the uprooted backroom team, assistant head coach Matt Gardiner.

And, for those prepared to look back in recent history, there is a pattern here….

Tony Mowbray (with Mark Venus) said he would have signed a new contract at Ewood Park in 2021-22 but instead left ‘by mutual agreement’ at the end of that season despite having no other job waiting for him.

Then Jon Dahl Tomasson – sufficiently talented to have managed Malmo and since be placed in charge of the Swedish national team – left, supposedly by mutual agreement, last winter.

So some good men have left the shock 1994-95 Premier League champions. Is there an ‘impossible job’ element to working there?

Even at the FA Cup defeat against Wolves recently, with Rovers surprisingly among the promotion challengers, there were visual and audible anti-Venky messages.

Eustace, along with Downing and Gardiner, may well have secured pay rises by joining the club the manager served as a loan and permanent signing. But they must also have seen better medium and long-term prospects at Pride Park.

And, while caretaker manager David Lowe celebrated a two-wins-out-of-two start in charge at their old club, there is one other point worth making.

The new Rams management team made a brilliant start to life with Birmingham, only to be unceremoniously dumped by owners who thought Wayne Rooney offered them a better future. Is that experience likely to coax loyalty out of them?

Looking further afield, Downing’s close friend, Rob Kelly, savoured a victory when the Danish League season resumed, Uwe Rosler’s Aarhus side winning 4-1 at Soenderjyske.

But Robbie Keane, having got two Europa League successes under his belt, is still looking for his first victory in charge of Ferencvaros following the 2-0 defeat at home to Paks.