Blackburn Rovers

[Mighty T.A.L.]

The future of Blackburn Rovers is again in the news.

The News of the World says a mystery Chinese consortium are secretly financing a proposed £40million takeover of Blackburn.

Rovers have recently been approached by two interested parties.

One is fronted by Chris Ronnie, chief executive of JJB sportswear, and is thought to be bankrolled by the Far East group.

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Wisla Krakow defender Dariusz Dudka is attracting interest from Blackburn Rovers. Rovers are following Dudka and also Radoslaw Majewski, the Groclin Dyskobolia midfielder, though the Premiership club have cooled interest in the latter.

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Blackburn Rovers are offering Tugay a new contract. The Daily Mail says Rovers have offered 37-year-old Tugay a one-year deal, including a role coaching Rovers' youngsters.

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Blackburn Rovers have secured teenage goalkeeper Bjorn Bussman to a new contract. The 17-year-old has made a huge impression in his first year with the Academy and has been awarded with a new deal through to 2010.

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Blackburn Rovers are chasing Newcastle United defender Abdoulaye Faye. The Evening Chronicle says the word from within the Blackburn Rovers camp is that Faye is wanted at Ewood Park.

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Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes is planning a summer raid on Espanyol. The Daily Star says Hughes has been given the green light to step up his interest in Espanyol trio Albert Riera, Marc Torrejon and Ferran Corominas

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Tottenham midfielder Hossam Ghaly has revealed interest from Blackburn Rovers.

The Egyptian midfielder has shunned a move to Derby - the club he ended the season on loan to - after they were relegated.

The 26-year-old wants to stay in the Premier League and admits he has offers from a number of clubs, as well as German outfit Hertha Berlin.

"Blackburn want to sign me. I have offers from other Premier League sides in addition to a Hertha Berlin bid but I haven't chosen my next destination yet," Ghaly told FilGoal.

Ghaly is now back with Tottenham but his future appears to lie away from north London - although he admits he would like the chance to prove himself at White Hart Lane.

"I enjoy playing in the Premier League and I would love to stay there," he added.

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Blackburn Rovers are willing to listen to offers for Maceo Rigters, less than a year after manager Mark Hughes snapped him up from NAC Breda. The 24-year-old striker, who was one of the stars at last summer's European Under 21 Championships, has struggled to make a similar impact in English football, having made just seven appearances for Rovers during what proved to be a deeply frustrating debut season.

Now Hughes is prepared to let the frontman leave, providing the club can recoup the £350,000 it cost to bring him to Ewood 11 months ago.

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Blackburn Rovers fear they would have little say if Chelsea came calling for manager Mark Hughes. The Times says sources at Blackburn Rovers have said that they want to keep Hughes, but could not stand in his way if Chelsea approached him.

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Chelsea have join the race to get the signature of Mark Hughes.

[kyan]

Blackburn job interests McClaren

Former England manager Steve McClaren has admitted he would like to replace Mark Hughes as Blackburn Rovers boss.

The 47-year-old has been out of work since he was sacked by England in November after they failed to qualify for Euro 2008.

"Of course that would interest me," McClaren told BBC Radio 5 Live when asked about the vacancy at Ewood Park.

"Unfortunately what happened with England was a huge failure but I want to get back into management."

McClaren has reportedly turned down an offer from Dutch side FC Twente to become their new coach as he would prefer to work in England.

The former Middlesbrough manager said Blackburn had not been in touch and he might be made to wait as Rovers chairman John Williams said earlier this week that the club was in no rush to make an appointment.

"I can't set a timescale - there's no point in setting false hurdles that you don't need to jump over," said Williams following Hughes's defection to Manchester City.

"We can't be too hasty. It's a crucial, important decision but it's obvious I'd like to do it as quickly as possible."

MK Dons manager Paul Ince, former Newcastle and Bolton boss Sam Allardyce and Zenit St Petersburg boss Dick Advocaat have all been linked with the job.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Blackburn | Blackburn job interests McClaren

Of all the contenders he'd certainly be bottom of my list.

[Lemmy]

Paul Ince has become the first black English manager in the Premier League after he was appointed Blackburn boss.

Ince, who has been given a three-year deal, was Rovers' number one target after Mark Hughes left Ewood Park.

In his first season with the MK Dons, Ince, 40, led them to the League Two title and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy.

Frenchman Jean Tigana with Fulham and Ruud Gullit with Chelsea and Newcastle are the only other two black managers

to have managed in the Premier League.

Ince will be officially presented as Blackburn's manager on Tuesday.

Last week the Premier League gave Rovers dispensation over Ince's failure to hold a Uefa Pro Licence.

The former West Ham, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Liverpool and England midfielder will be allowed two years to earn his licence.

In order to be a football manager in the top divisions of countries like Spain, Italy, Germany and France, coaches must have the Uefa Pro Licence qualification.

The licence requires 240 hours of study and usually takes a year to gain.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Blackburn | Blackburn appoint Ince as manager

[Lemmy]

Blackburn have been fined and warned as to their future conduct by the Football Association for "failing to control their players".

The charge centred on the reaction of Blackburn players after Rovers winger Morten Gamst Pedersen and Newcastle's Habib Beye clashed over a throw-in.

Rovers have been fined £10,000, £7,500 of which has been suspended until 31 May 2009.

Blackburn won 1-0 in the clash at Newcastle on 1 March.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Blackburn | Blackburn fined after player row

[Lemmy]

Robbie Fowler is joining Blackburn for pre-season training after rejecting a pay-as-you-play deal from Cardiff.

The ex-England striker was expected to sign a new one-year deal with the Bluebirds but told the club on Thursday he would be linking up with Rovers.

Fowler, 33, has not played since December because of a hip injury that required surgery in the United States.

He will be reunited with new Blackburn manager Paul Ince - an old friend since their time together at Anfield.

Fowler, who joins Rovers on their pre-season tour to Germany, scored six goals in 16 games in an injury-hit season at Ninian Park after joining Cardiff from Liverpool in 2007.

"Robbie was all set to sign up at Cardiff, but at the last minute Paul Ince came in and handed him a chance to return to the Premier League," said Fowler's agent George Scott.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Blackburn | Fowler to link up with Blackburn

[Lemmy]

Blackburn have accepted a bid for Brad Friedel but insist the goalkeeper will not be allowed to leave until a suitable replacement has been found.

Friedel, 37, has been linked with both Manchester City and Aston Villa.

Rovers chairman John Williams said: "We have accepted a bid for Brad Friedel, but the deal is conditional on a replacement being brought in first."

Friedel is currently with the squad in Germany and played 45 minutes in Monday's defeat to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.

Manager, Paul Ince recently told BBC Radio Lancashire he wanted the American keeper to stay at Ewood Park: "I want to keep Brad - he's one of the best goalkeepers in the Premiership - I want to keep my best players."

Friedel's possible departure would leave Ince with three goalkeepers - former Gillingham goalkeeper Jason Brown, plus rookies Frank Fielding, 20, and 21-year-old Gunnar Nielsen.

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Blackburn | Blackburn agree fee for Friedel