Dilan Markanday’s reason for leaving Tottenham Hotspur and seizing a fresh start at Blackburn Rovers nearly 12 months ago looked, at the time anyway, a sound one.
“It was hard to turn down the opportunity,” Markanday told Rovers’ official website. “It really was an easy decision to make, and a journey that I can’t wait to start. I had a taste of first-team football with Tottenham this season (in 2021/22). I wanted more.
“It was a difficult decision to leave after nine years. But the opportunity to come here was just too big. (It is) the right time to get out of my comfort zone, and seek first-team football. Take that next step in my career.”
The irony being, of course, that Markanday is finding ‘first-team football’ just as elusive at Ewood Park as he did at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Barnet-born 21-year-old has not played a single minute in the Championship since Jon Dahl Tomasson replaced Tony Mowbray as Blackburn’s head coach.
It’s not as if Markaday has been unavailable either. The winger has started every one of Blackburn’s four EFL Cup games, featuring in the 4-1 midweek defeat to Nottingham Forest alongside a number of other fringe players. Thus, further reinforcing his reputation as a back-up rather than a serious member of Tomasson’s first-team plans.
Dilan Markanday left Tottenham Hotspur for Blackburn Rovers
Tyrhys Dolan and Ryan Hedges remain firmly established ahead of Markanday – a right-sided attacker by trade – in the Dane’s pecking order. On the other flank, Blackburn have perhaps the most coveted and accomplished forward in the whole of the Championship; Chile international Ben Brereton Diaz.
Unless something changes rather drastically, Markanday may have to look for a loan if he’s to make his mark at senior level.
“If they are not having enough minutes, they will play for the Under-21s,” Tomasson said of Markanday back in August; the youngster making four appearances for Rovers in Premier League 2 since then (Lancashire Telegraph).
“Dilan got a lot of minutes in pre-season. He was injured when he first came (to Blackburn, a hamstring problem restricting his impact). That was very unlucky for the boy; having come here from Tottenham after scoring all of those goals in the youth.
“He’s a player who needs more rhythm.”
Markanday swapped Tottenham for Blackburn hoping for more regular first-team football. Instead, he’s gone from playing U21 football and making the odd cup cameo in North London to doing something very similar in Lancashire.
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