DAVID Dunn insists it is imperative that Alan Irvine and Rob Kelly remain part of the new Blackburn Rovers management setup.

And Dunn has ruled himself out of the running to become Paul Lambert’s replacement as Rovers boss.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The 36-year-old, who returned to the club in February after a stint in charge of Oldham Athletic, remains one of the bookies’ favourites for the vacant Ewood Park post.

But Dunn, who is thoroughly enjoying his role as assistant to Under-21 lead coach Damien Johnson, has no desire to take the top job at this stage of his career.

Instead he reckons assistant manager Irvine would be a suitable successor to Lambert.

It is understood the former Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and West Brom manager has shown no interest in stepping into the Rovers hotseat.

But whatever happens Dunn believes it is vital that Irvine and equally experienced first-team coach Kelly, who are both in their second spells with the club, stay put.

“There’s a lot of talk about the management at the minute, and what roads and routes we are going to go down, but first of all it’s imperative Rob and Alan stay,” said Dunn.

“I really do think that and, if it was me, and I’m seeing loads of different names bandied about, I’d certainly be thinking along the lines of Alan Irvine.

“Alan and Rob have got so much experience and, more than anything, they really care.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“They’ve been here before, doing what me and Damien are doing now, and they’ve seen the club in the good times and, like us all, they want us to get back there.

“Deep in our hearts we all want the club to do well and I think that’s so important for the supporters to know we’ve got people who really do care.

“Not just on the football side of things, we’ve got people at the training ground, who have been here for years, who really do care about the club.”

The club shares Dunn’s desire to keep Irvine and Kelly, as well as goalkeeper coach Laurence Batty, in place.

This week director Mike Cheston and secretary Ian Silvester met the duo to canvass their opinions on the shortlist of managers that Rovers, along with owners Venky’s, are forming.

But Dunn, who had four months as Oldham boss this season before he was replaced by John Sheridan, has confirmed his name will not be on it.

“I had that spell at Oldham and, whatever people say, and you can ask quite a lot of people that we worked with, we weren’t a million miles off,” said the ex-England international, who originally left Rovers at the end of last season.

“John came in and did a tremendous job, the six or seven players he brought in had a real impact, which we thought anyway.

“I’m really ambitious, I’m not going to lie, and at some point, yes, all day long, but at this moment in time I’m really enjoying what I’m doing and it’s really important I say that.

“I’m really enjoying my job with the U21s. I don’t even look at it as a job to be honest. I look at it as a gift, which is way I’m grateful to everyone involved for bringing me back.”