Rhodes named Blackburn Loans Manager after hanging up boots

Rhodes played for Blackburn from 2012 to 2016, scoring 85 goals in 169 games and enjoying a fruitful partnership with Rudy Gestede, who is now Rovers’ Head of Football Operations (duo pictured together above).

The Lancashire club said Rhodes would work closely with Gestede, Head of Technical Development Adam Owen and Head of Academy Paul Gray to ensure that loans “align with the player development pathway.”

He will “oversee the performance and development of these young players, to ensure that they are progressing in line with the club’s long-term objectives” and be responsible for “building and maintaining strong relationships with loan clubs”, as well as “attending matches and assessing potential player targets.”

Rhodes said: “It will be a bit new to me, a case of learning on the job to a certain extent, but I think there are things that will come naturally to me. I had four loans myself and I encountered plenty of things.

“Each and every player will be very different in their make-up of what they demand and what they prefer so it’ll be getting to know the players and what works for them.

“Ultimately, that’s what the staff are there to do – to facilitate those players and give them the best opportunity to be able to thrive for the first team ideally.”

Loans Manager is an important job at elite clubs and has been a gateway to the role of Sporting Director, overseeing the entire football operation. For example, Julian Ward was Liverpool’s first Loans Manager in 2015 and went on to become their Sporting Director.

He is now Technical Director for Liverpool’s owners FSG. Gary Probert, the former Ipswich Town Director of Football Operations, was announced as Liverpool’s new Head of Loan Management last week.