Francis Jeffers issues verdict on Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday in 2024/25 | OneFootball

Francis Jeffers has been speaking exclusively to FLW

Francis Jeffers has issued his verdict on former clubs Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield Wednesday as we prepare for the second tier season to get going again.

The September international offers Championship clubs a first chance to pause and take stock of their position after the initial weeks of the 2024/25 campaign.

Jeffers' former clubs will reflect differently on the new campaign – with Blackburn exceeding expectations and the Owls enduring a difficult start.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, via William Hill Vegas, the 43-year-old has had his say on how the two Championship clubs are getting on so far.

Sheffield Wednesday urged to back Danny Rohl

After the dramatic turnaround last term, there was plenty of excitement about what Danny Rohl could achieve in his first full season at Hillsborough but his side have endured a difficult start.

The Owls beat Plymouth Argyle 4-0 in their opener but are 20th in the Championship after three consecutive defeats.

Jeffers has urged Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri to keep the faith in the young coach despite the team's current struggles.

He said: "Danny Rohl proved last year he is a top manager at this level.

"Keeping Sheffield Wednesday up was a great achievement and he deserves patience from the owner.

"I believe they will improve as the opening day win over Plymouth was excellent and the cup wins have good as well. This break can come at a good time and expect the team to improve."

Sheffield Wednesday told to focus short-term not long-term

Ahead of the season, some were tipping Wednesday to finish in the top half and potentially even compete for a place in the top six.

The last few weeks have suggested that avoiding relegation may be a more realistic target for them in 2024/25.

But Jeffers has urged them to concentrate on shorter-term goals and instead focus on getting back to winning ways.

He said: "I think they just need to focus on the next few games to get a win under their belt.

"Three defeats isn’t great albeit one was against Leeds.

"The number of goals conceded would be a concern, so the number one target is to get a win and then get confidence back up. It is still very early, but you want to get clear of the bottom three as quickly as possible."

Sheffield Wednesday free agent signings must fit Danny Rohl style

The transfer window may be closed but the free agent market means that the Owls and Rohl can still strengthen their ranks in the coming weeks.

The German coach has not ruled out doing that but Jeffers has urged caution and suggested that any new arrivals need to properly fit his favoured style of play.

He explained: "The squad has plenty of talent as they showed in the opening game, so they just need to find another win and they can move up the table and confidence will come back.

"The cup wins have also been good, so plenty to be confident about this season.

"If they can add to the squad then this does always help, but they need to fit into the manager’s style."

Blackburn Rovers form a reminder of Birmingham City's John Eustace mistake

Blackburn were being tipped for relegation before a ball was kicked but sit fifth after four games.

John Eustace's side are unbeaten so far – winning twice and drawing twice – and are the third-highest scorers in the division.

That early season form makes Birmingham City's decision to part ways with Eustace last season look even more of a mistake, as Jeffers points out.

He said: "I think we all know that it wasn’t the right decision to dismiss John Eustace and Birmingham have now moved on, but for some it won’t go unnoticed.

"John Eustace is once again showing what a good manager he is at this level and Blackburn have started the season well, with many tipping them for relegation."

Blackburn Rovers deserve credit for Sammie Szmodics replacements

Rovers' strong start is made all the more impressive given the departure of forward Sammie Szmodics, who scored 28 times last season and earned a summer move to Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town.

Replacing a player of Szmodics' quality was always going to be tough but there are early signs that their new attacking additions – Andi Weimann, Makhtar Gueye, and Yuki Ohashi – will prove to be smart business.

Jeffers believes his former club deserve plaudits for their summer recruitment.

"Full credit to Blackburn for the new strike force," he said. "Sometimes having a number of forwards who can contribute is better than just one top striker who scores most of the goals.

"It’s good to see my old club proving doubters wrong and this start has been excellent."

Todd Cantwell could be one of the signings of the season

Blackburn also made a late-window move to sign Todd Cantwell from Rangers for a six-figure fee.

Cantwell showed during his time with Norwich City that he can be a real asset at Championship level and Jeffers believes snapping him up could end up looking a real bargain.

He said: "Absolutely, Cantwell has shown his quality in the past at Norwich and just needs to get game time and his confidence back, and he can produce top quality performances game after game.

"Come the end of the season, it could be one of the signings of the season."