ROVERS striker Matt Jansen has revealed how doctors have warned that heading a ball could end up killing him.

The 24-year-old Ewood ace has secretly been nursing a brain haemorrhage since he sustained a head injury following a motorbike accident in Rome earlier this summer.

And specialists have told him that if he attempts to rush back to competitive action too soon then he could be putting his whole life at risk.

"The doctors say I sustained a five millimetre brain haemorrhage," said Jansen, who has not kicked a ball in anger since the end of last season.

"I've even been ordered to stay away from competitive action.

"If I do even attempt to head a ball properly, it could kill me."

Thankfully, Jansen has recently been given the all-clear to resume full-time training again after he underwent a series of tests in Liverpool last weekend.

But Rovers' medical staff will not be taking any risks with the player and it could be the start of November before fans finally see him back in contention for a place in the first team.

"I've been doing lots of running and ball-work in training and feel fitter than ever so I aim to be back in October," added the striker.

Meanwhile, Rovers boss Graeme Souness last night launched a stinging attack on football's rulers after some of his players looked jaded in Saturday's 1-0 victory over Birmingham.

Souness slammed the decision to organise a host of 'meaningless' friendlies in the first week of the new Premiership season.

And he cited that as the reason for internationals like Tugay having an off-day at St Andrews after the exertions of the last seven days proved too much.

"I think to ask your players to play in Mickey Mouse friendlies in the first week of the season is unfair on the clubs who pay their wages and I can't get my head around it," blasted Souness.

"So that would have contributed to a lacklustre performance from some of our players because we weren't at the races at times.

"Give Birmingham credit, though, because they worked extremely hard to stop us playing.

"The crowd there are marvellous, I know that from playing days, and they never give you an easy game.

"So they got their players up for it and what should have been a fairly comfortable afternoon ended up becoming a difficult one for us."

Dwight Yorke ultimately stole the headlines after his first league goal in a Blackburn shirt sealed the points.

But Birmingham boss Steve Bruce felt aggrieved after referee Dermot Gallagher waved away what looked legitimate penalty appeals when Stern John was sent crashing to the floor in the box and Souness later admitted they might have had a case.

"When I was initially asked the question, I gave the answer I didn't see it because I genuinely didn't," said Souness.

"However, I've since spoken to a couple of the players and they said it should have been a penalty -- but that's football. I think we only got one penalty last season.

"So some clubs get more penalties than others."