DAMIEN Duff was ruled out of this afternoon's crucial game at Stockport with a viral problem that has also cost him his place in the Republic of Ireland squad to face Luxembourg on Wednesday.

The absence of the international left winger was a severe blow to Blackburn Rovers boss Tony Parkes who revealed that a bout of glandular fever was suspected.

"That's what the doctor has told us, but we don't know at this stage how long he will be out," said the manager.

"If it is glandular fever, it just depends how severe it is and we don't know that yet."

Duff was able to play at Birmingham in midweek but Rovers are not prepared to take any chances and it was a sensible step to withdraw him from the international friendly as well.

His absence meant Parkes faced a reshuffle at Stockport but, whatever the personnel, he wants the squad to start showing a "siege mentality".

He said: "There seems to be a very negative chain reaction from everybody when things aren't going well. You are very lucky if you can read anything positive about Blackburn Rovers.

"They are certainly a club everyone is waiting to jump on because they are the millionaire club and obviously they have under-achieved and should be doing better.

"Everybody just waits for them to slip up. "So that's what has to happen with the players at Blackburn. They have to have a siege mentality.

"It happens at other clubs like Leicester because they got a lot of stick and, for different reasons, Wimbledon." Meanwhile, Marlon Broomes has declared that he is ready to battle for his first team place in the face of increasing competition.

"There are four centre halves now all fighting for the one place," he said.

"I think Christian (Dailly) has done enough, his place seems secure and he's been doing well.

"I just hope I did enough on Tuesday to keep my place.

"There's me, Darren Peacock, Craig Short and now Martin Taylor is back from loan.

"He's got a bit of experience now and he'll be pushing for that place as well.

"Touch wood, I hope this is a fresh start for me. I've been at the club since I was 16 and just seem to have had injury after injury.

"I hope I'm over it all now and I can get a good few games under my belt, try and get a season in without an injury and I think I'll be a better player for it.

"If I had been fit I think I would have played a lot more games for the first team than I have done. I think I've only played about 20 and I am 22 years of age." "There was a lot of speculation about Birmingham City coming in for me but I haven't heard anything and the club hasn't heard anything.

"I'm happy where I am at Blackburn anyway and, as long as I'm playing, I'll be happy."

Broomes also believes he benefited from playing alongside Scottish international Dailly in midweek.

"Lately, Christian's been playing very well. He's first-choice centre half at the moment and he has a bit more experience than me so he helped me through it," he added.

"In the last 15 or 20 minutes I was on my legs were dying because I haven't played for so long and he kept encocouraging me."

New keeper Alan Miller revealed he is more than ready to accept the difficult challenge of trying to claim the number one keeper's jersey at Ewood.

Miller, set for the bench at Stockport this afternoon, said: "There are some great keepers here and they are all internationals in their own right. But all I can do is work hard and hopefully take any chances that come along.

"The set-up is fantastic here, everything's in place for things to go well. "There are a lot of points to play for yet and there's a good atmosphere here as well as a great playing staff.

"It was a very big challenge to come here and I fancied it."

Portsmouth manager Tony Pulis wants to take young Ewood winger Jimmy Corbett for another week before making any final assessment.

Pulis, who sold Corbett to Rovers when he was at Gillingham, watched the winger in a Pompey reserve game and was suitably impressed, despite the fact that the teenager faded in the last half hour or so of a draw with Bristol City.

"I thought he did okay for 50 minutes," said Pulis.

"Obviously he was that bit short of fitness but he did enough to show that he can be some player.

"He is an enthusiastic lad who can only get better."

Pompey are expected to ask Rovers if they can take Corbett on loan.

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