Blackburn Rovers’ battle for Championship survival took a success with their 3-0 away defeat to promotion-chasing Southampton, with one notable absence from the matchday squad doubtlessly having a giant impact on the consequence.
The 2025/26 season will not be one Blackburn followers look again on with a lot fondness in years to come back.
The Lancashire-based outfit has been inconsistent all through a lot of the season, resulting in the eventual dismissal of French boss Valerien Ismael and the appointment of present Northern Ireland and former Stoke City boss Michael O’Neill in a last-ditch try and safe survival.
Whilst they have not gone on a giant successful spree since O’Neill’s arrival, they’ve picked up essential factors and proven the consistency required to push them in direction of security, with 4 wins, 4 attracts, and 4 defeats to this point throughout his tenure.
This leaves Blackburn 4 factors above the drop with three video games to go, although with another sport performed than the surrounding sides, they’re in no way out of the scrap simply but.
Their 3-0 defeat away to Southampton will come as little shock to many, with the Saints now 18 video games unbeaten, although absent for that sport was membership captain Todd Cantwell, whose future at Ewood Park has quite a few query marks surrounding it heading into the summer time.
Blackburn Rovers captain Todd Cantwell might depart the membership this summer time
Todd Cantwell has had a troublesome private marketing campaign at Blackburn, with quite a few accidents disrupting the captain’s season.
His absence from the squad for Blackburn’s journey to Southampton was simply the newest in an extended line of harm issues, with an abductor drawback ruling him out of this specific fixture.
With only one yr remaining on his present deal in Lancashire, Football League World’s Blackburn fan pundit, Simon, has shared their ideas on Cantwell’s present scenario and whether or not he can see him being at the membership past this summer time.
Simon mentioned: “Yeah, it’s a weird one with Todd Cantwell. There’s been times this season when we’ve played better without him, but yet when he’s come back, he’s then made another bit of a difference. So it’s really, really kind of hard to work him out.
“There’s undoubtedly a participant there, you already know? There’s undoubtedly a participant in there that may step up. But with regards to being a pacesetter, I do not assume he is the greatest particular person to be main Blackburn.
“You know, he’s not very much of someone to look to when I think when times are getting tough. It wouldn’t surprise me if we did sell him in the summer just because he’s on quite a big wage.
“With that in thoughts, Blackburn actually cannot afford to be paying gamers that a lot cash. So it would not shock me if we did promote him in the summer time simply to get him off the wage invoice.”
Where do you assume Cantwell shall be enjoying his soccer subsequent season? Would you wish to see him signal a recent take care of Blackburn? Share your ideas under!
Blackburn Rovers’ instant future stays unclear amid Todd Cantwell’s contract scenario
There are quite a few uncertainties surrounding Blackburn heading into the summer time, with Cantwell simply being one in all many.
For starters, what division they are going to be enjoying in subsequent yr continues to be up in the air, with Championship survival but to be secured. Current boss O’Neill can be not assured to be main them into subsequent marketing campaign, along with his present time period coming to an finish at the finish of the season.
Cantwell has but to signal recent phrases at Ewood Park, and with one yr remaining on his deal, he might effectively be angling for a transfer this summer time, with the 28-year-old probably eyeing one final huge transfer.
On his day, few can deny Cantwell’s skill, as he clearly has an enormous affect on the means Blackburn play, and he’ll nearly definitely not be quick on suitors this summer time.
What the future holds for each Blackburn and Cantwell stays to be seen, although for now, each should deal with Championship survival.
