ROY Hodgson will lead a formidable Blackburn Rovers scouting party to the World Cup - but he does not expect the expedition to France to have a major influence on this summer's Ewood spending plans.

Hodgson has already drawn up a hit list of transfer targets and he is wary of being misled by someone who suddenly shines in France - or being drawn into paying over the odds for a 'new' star.

The manager, in fact, gave a strong hint that the wheels had long been set in motion to strengthen the squad with his chosen targets whatever happens at the finals.

He explained: "Players who often come to the fore in World Cups don't necessarily succeed in League football afterwards.

"Secondly, if we had our eyes on somebody and we only made our move after he had a successful World Cup you are committing the club to pay maybe 30-50 per cent more than they would have needed to pay.

"But the World Cup does feature very much in our thinking and we are going to scout it in a very professional way, being in France for the whole of the tournament and covering as many games as we can get to.

"There are three purposes for that.

"One is to keep very much abreast of the player market, which I suppose is the primary exercise.

"But there's a secondary and a tertiary exercise. "It gives us an opportunity to get an idea of what the football is like in a lot of other countries which you don't often get a chance to see.

"Thirdly, it will keep us abreast of any technical, tactical or physical changes that are going on, as well as meeting a lot of other people in football - not necessarily from England - who could provide us with good contacts at a later date."

While Hodgson is concerned about the benefits Rovers can derive from the World Cup, Ewood keeper Tim Flowers will be simply hoping to be there with England.

Decision day is getting closer for Glenn Hoddle with four keepers in the running, probably for three places.

David Seaman is a certainty as number one, with Flowers, Nigel Martyn and Ian Walker also battling for selection.

The Rovers star should get a chance in one of the warm-up games, maybe against Morocco this evening when England are in Casablanca for a mini-tournament - the Hassan International Cup. While Flowers sweats on making England's final squad, there are no such worries for his team-mate Kevin Gallacher who looks set to be back in action for Scotland this weekend.

Gallacher, expected to be Scotland's main spearhead in attack at the World Cup finals, has returned to full training after losing five pounds in five days because of a stomach bug.

The Scots play the USA in Washington on Saturday, following their 2-2 draw with Colombia - a game Gallacher missed - and the striker will probably start.

His recovery will come as a relief to Scotland boss Craig Brown who said: "Kevin has shown plenty of energy and enthusiasm in training and the signs are encouraging."

Latest £500 Double Your Money Club winner is R Slynn (Blackburn), number 078A.

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