Blackburn Rovers head coach, John Eustace. (Image: CameraSport - Richard Martin-Roberts)
Blackburn Rovers head coach, John Eustace. (Image: CameraSport - Richard Martin-Roberts)
John Eustace has dismissed speculation linking him with jobs away from Blackburn Rovers.
The Rovers head coach was of interest to both Coventry City and Hull City before they made their new appointments. That did not go any further than admiring glances and Rovers haven't received any formal approaches for Eustace at this stage.
Wolves were the latest club this week to be credited with an interest after sacking Gary O'Neil. They similarly, though, have looked elsewhere, appointing Vitor Pereira. Southampton are thought to be unlikely to make a move too.
Eustace has 18 months left on his Rovers contract, which runs until the summer of 2026. Speculation is natural considering how well he and the squad have performed this season.
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He, however, he insisted that he is happy at Ewood Park and has paid no interest in outside speculation about his future.
"I don't really take much notice of what is going on outside the football club, I don't know if I'm being spoken about," he said.
"I am focused on improving these players every day, getting the right game plans, making sure everyone is happy at the training ground.
"I don't worry or take much notice about everything else that goes on. Nothing changes for me.
"It is credit to the players, they have got to take on the instructions and do what we want on a daily basis. They are playing fantastic football and doing what we want.
"My job is to develop the players here and make us successful. We are 10 months into that. I said I wanted to come here and build and make something special and that's what I want to do."
Rovers' top-six credentials will be tested over this festive period with Millwall the start of five games in 14 days. Four of those are against sides looking to achieve the same aims as Blackburn.
It is a period which Eustace relishes, having experienced his first Christmas outside of the football bubble last year following his exit at Birmingham City.
Undoubtedly, the second half of the campaign will spring new challenges. Rovers' previous record does not have to be repeated but their perceived overachievement may alter the way teams set up against them.
That will bring new challenges for both the players and management to adapt to. Eustace believes that is natural, though, regardless of whether a team is succeeding or not.
"The Christmas period is a very exciting period for football, home and away it's full houses and a good buzz," he said.
"We're looking forward to this period. It was weird for me last year to have a proper Christmas at home but this is in my blood. I hadn't had one for 25 top 30 years.
"It was strange but I did enjoy it. It was nice but I'm used to this and I want to be involved over Christmas.
"20 games in, we are where we are because of what we're doing and the way we're playing. It is certainly not a fluke. We believe in that and we want to keep building.
"Everyone connected should be proud but there is a lot of work ahead. We have to keep our levels high.
"We'll have to see how things may change, we have been in the top-six for the majority of the season. We came out a little bit but early on we were and we are now.
"I think no matter how well you're doing or not doing when you play against the opposition once, you know their strengths and weaknesses and you do set-up different when you play them again."