John Eustace set to talk to Blackburn hierarchy after being linked with Derby

Blackburn boss John Eustace is set for talks with the club’s hierarchy after he was linked with the managerial vacancy at Derby.

In the build-up to Rovers’ 2-0 FA Cup loss at home to Wolves, it was reported they had been formally approached regarding Eustace by Derby, who sacked Paul Warne on Friday.

And former Rams midfielder Eustace appeared to confirm that when asked about the matter after the fourth-round tie, saying: “I’ll have to chat with the owners and see what’s happened.

“I’ve come to the club to help rebuild it and help us push up in the league, I’ve been very happy here, and it’s something now I’m going to have a discussion with the owners (about) to see what they think.

“I do feel supported here. I’m away from my family a lot, I’m working, as everyone is, working my socks off to make sure Blackburn are really competitive.

“When I came here we were on the way down, now we’ve been on the way up, we’ve had some disappointing results, and it’s just something we’ll have to discuss now with the owners and see what happens.

“I’ve just come off the pitch and realised that they’ve made an official approach, so I’m sure Steve (Waggott, Blackburn’s chief executive) and Suhail (Shaikh, the chief operating officer) will want to sit down with me. I’d be disappointed if they didn’t.

“If they’ve made an official approach, my first conversation has got to be with the owners and find out what their situation is, and then we can take it from there.”

Eustace – whose team are currently sixth in the Championship, having been 18th when he took charge a year ago – was asked if it was about looking for reassurances about what could be built at Blackburn, and he said: “Of course it is. It’s a fantastic group of players to work with.

“We’ve asked for some quality additions to help the group in January and the club have managed to sign two or three players. It’s about a process and building properly.”

He added: “It’s about seeing this club be back where it should be, and that’s pushing in the right end of the league.”

After Blackburn’s Dom Hyam had a header ruled out for offside, Wolves scored two goals in as many minutes just past the half hour, with Joao Gomes’ shot rolling in off goalkeeper Balazs Toth and Matheus Cunha swiftly adding a strike into the far corner.

While the Hyam decision looked tight, it stood with there being no VAR in use, and Eustace said: “It’s definitely onside. I think we could have had a penalty as well, so we do feel a bit hard done by.

“Goals change games, they scored two very quick goals – the first we conceded was very sloppy, and they were very clinical after that.”

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira was pleased with what his players produced in what he saw as challenging circumstances in various ways, saying: “Today was a lot of things, it was the ball, the opponent, a good team, the pitch, and wind – it was difficult.”

Asked to elaborate about the ball, he said: “If you compare this with the Premier League ball, it is a different ball.

“If you have a cup game and you play with another ball, I believe every player will feel they will have time to adapt.

“The first 15 minutes it’s like I’m trying to adapt not only to the pitch but to the ball also. The feedback of my players (was) ‘a lot of times I missed this because it’s difficult, the ball jumped, it’s a different ball’.”