Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams has labelled the list of applicants for the manager’s job as ‘healthy’ and is hoping to name Mark Hughes’ successor within 10 days, while not getting drawn into a comment on Alan Shearer link.

The former Rovers star striker is reportedly interested in offering his services to the Ewood Park outfit, after Hughes left for Manchester City. Former Bolton Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce and ex-England manager Steve McClaren are also linked with the job.

Williams told Sky Sports News: "There will be no news today - what is in the public domain is we are having a meeting to consider the candidate list, which is a good list, healthy list, lots of very interesting applicants and we start work today and see where we go.

"It is never good to lose the manager but if there is going to be a time, this is the time as we are between seasons - I would hope that we will have something within a week to ten days."

Adding that there are more than 40 names on the list, he said: "I think it is pretty obvious we won't be seriously considering 40 people but we will give every candidate, everybody that has bothered to show interest in the job needs consideration and that's exactly what the start of this process will entail."