TONY Parkes can't buy players to help dig Blackburn Rovers out of trouble - but he's happy with what he's got.

The delay in appointing a new Ewood manager effectively means Rovers cannot go into the transfer market, certainly not in a major way.

But Parkes made it clear today that he believes he has enough good players on the books to climb to safety.

"Yes, I'm sure we have, and I think they have shown in recent weeks that they have the right attitude to do something positive about the position we are in," he said.

"It's no secret that we were looking for a striker in the summer and, since then, Mike Newell and Alan Shearer have left.

"So there are clearly places in the squad to be strengthened.

"But, obviously, we are not going to be involved in any big transfer dealings until the new manager is appointed.

"I can only change things round with what we already have.

"But that doesn't bother me, because of the 'caretaker' role that I have at the moment." It must be galling to the club as a whole to see players such as Nicky Barmby go to Everton and Rosenborg's young star Stefan Iversen sign for Spurs.

And other major talents could become available in the next few weeks.

But Rovers are hamstrung by the absence of a permanent man at the top.

It would be pretty pointless to pay out a big fee for a player, then appoint a new boss and find out he didn't want him.

Happily, Parkes still has a reasonable number of players to choose from, despite the long-term injuries to Chris Coleman and Ian Pearce, as well as Paul Warhurst, who is struggling to make real progress from his torn hamstring.

Even when he restarts training, Warhurst is going to need games before he can be considered again.

So both he and Pearce are unlikely to figure again at least until the New Year.

Parkes has been loyal to the players who have looked as though they are capable of turning round Rovers' season and that has led to others having to be patient, Lars Bohinen for example. Parkes said: "The media tend to concentrate on one player when there are others who can't get into the side for a variety of reasons. But they are all in contention and could play at any time.

"Performances and the attitude of the players have been quite good and my philosophy is that the lads who have got the shirts have to do something wrong to lose them.

"And I can't say one thing to them and then do another.

"The only thing Lars wants to know is if there is a chance of him playing - and there is. I would have no problem picking him for the side."

Rovers' Premiership game away to Wimbledon goes ahead on December 14, even though Vinny Jones will be unavailable for the Dons. Jones has been included in the Wales squad to face Turkey in Cardiff that day.

Rovers youngsters Anthony Williams and James Thomas are both included in the under-21 squad to play Turkey the previous evening.

Graeme Souness is giving trials at Southampton to Norwegian international Staale Solbakken. The 28-year-old midfield player from Lillestrom has scored three goals in 21 appearances for Norway.

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