'Derby County too big to turn down' - reaction

Eustace returns to Pride Park Stadium after enjoying two stints as a midfielder with the Rams – his final club in a playing career that ended in 2015.

Along with being familiar with the area, Morrison believes the sheer size of the club would have been the deciding factor in leaving promotion chasing Blackburn Rovers for the relegation-threatened Rams.

“I think he's going with his heart, and his heart's telling him he should go to Derby - and it’s a massive football club as well by the way,” Morrison said. “They get 28,000 most weeks, even if they're in League One as well. It's a huge football club.

“You can understand why he's going. I know Blackburn fans won't be happy and it is a strange one, but I think he's got a good connection with Derby County.

“As a manager, sometimes you get that vibe that if it's right to move, it's right to move. I think he's decided he wants to move on.”

Eustace’s contract at Pride Park runs until the summer of 2028 and he starts his new job with immediate effect. Derby travel to London to face another of his old clubs – Queens Park Rangers – tomorrow evening.

“He’s leaving a team in the playoffs to join a team that is fighting relegation. It's a difficult one, but I think he will turn it around at Derby. I think he backs himself when he looks at that squad.

“I think Derby have got a chance of staying up. They've had a few good results recently, a couple of draws against decent teams.” Morrison added: “I think they've got enough in their squad to keep them up and he wouldn't have gone there if he didn't think he could keep them up.”

The new Derby head coach began his managerial career with Kidderminster Harriers in 2016 before taking up a position on the coaching staff at QPR. Prior to Blackburn, he enjoyed a successful spell at Birmingham City.