As Blackburn Rovers continue their search for Tony Mowbray's replacement, it seems former Sheffield Wednesday manager Carlos Carvalhal is the odds on favourite for the job.

Having recently departed Braga in order to pursuit other challenges, the 56-year-old is apparently keen on a return to England, and a move to Ewood Park could potentially be on the cards.

Rovers fans have been divided on social media about the potential appointment, with many calling back to his struggles at Swansea City as a reason to stay away.

Others are just more interested in other options such as Daniel Farke and Gareth Ainsworth. 

With that being said though, Carvalhal would be an excellent appointment for Rovers, and would see the club take a huge step forward in their bid to return to the Premier League.

Here are just a number of reasons why he would be an ideal choice to step into the managerial vacancy at Ewood Park.

He has proven Championship experience

Sure, Carvalhal didn't have the best of times in the south of Wales at Swansea. His short stay with the side saw them relegated from the Premier League.

His record in the Championship is pretty impressive though, and his experience in the league would prove hugely beneficial for Rovers.

He spent two and a half years with Sheffield Wednesday in the league and guided them to the playoffs twice. In fact, as things stand, Carvalhal's only two full seasons in the league ended with his side reaching the playoffs.

After seeing a top six finish slip away from them at the very last minute this season, Rovers need a man who knows how to get to the playoffs if they are to keep moving forward and Carvalhal could very well be that man.

His time managing overseas could help Rovers recruitment

There's no sugar-coating things, Rovers don't have much in the way of finances. There's very little wiggle room for the team when it comes to the transfer market. 

As a result of the pandemic, the club's transfer budget is miniscule and as such, they'll need to be shrewd and clever when it comes to their recruitment this summer.

There are several key names set to depart the side, with Bradley Johnson and Joe Rothwell already having left, while captain Darragh Lenihan and Ryan Nyambe are also on their way out. To ensure they don't take a huge step back, Blackburn need to make sure they get their recruitment spot on this summer.

This is where Carvalhal's time managing overseas could come in hand. Similarly to Mowbray's links leading to several impressive loan signings from the Premier League, the 56-year-old's time in Portugal may see Rovers bringing in some impressive, but cheap options from overseas.

A prime example of Rovers benefitting from shopping overseas, would be the signing of Thomas Kaminski from Gent. Having signed for a less than half-a-million pounds, the Belgian has been one of the club's best players since his arrival, and the club could use Carvalhal's overseas connections to recreate that magic elsewhere in the side.

He has does a tremendous job in Portugal

After leaving Swansea, Carvalhal took a year out of the game, before returning to Portugal and taking over at mid-table Primeira Liga side Rio Aves

Under the 56-year-old, the side earned their highest ever finish in the league, finishing 5th and qualifying for the Europa League. Not long after, he departed for Braga and in a true testament to the impressive work he had done, Rio Aves were relegated the very next season.

While at Braga, Carvalhal secured two consecutive fourth-place finishes and even took the side to the Europa League quarter finals. The side also made it to two domestic cup finals, winning one of them.

As Rovers search for a replacement for Mowbray, there won't be many options with the level of success that Carvalhal has achieved through his time in Portugal and his spell at Sheffield Wednesday.

His style of play is attractive and progressive

While Rovers have shown they're at their most effective when playing direct football, Carvalhal's progressive style of play may actually help push the side to the next level.

The Portuguese manager encourages his side to focus heavily on retaining possession, but also expects them to move quickly in transition. It's an approach that not many have seen before, and it could catch a lot of sides in the league off guard.

All in all, while their are certainly other managers who would make decent appointments, such as Daniel Farke and Gareth Ainsworth, Carvalhal has a wealth of experience managing both in the Championship and amongst Europe's elite competitions. He would be an inspired appointment for Rovers, and a much more progressive move than many think.

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