THE search has begun in earnest for Ray Harford's successor as manager of Blackburn Rovers.

And, with a top name needed at Ewood, some well known bosses are likely to be linked with the job, such as Terry Venables and Johan Cruyff.

Another man who could figure in the club's thoughts is Roy Hodgson, presently in charge of Inter Milan.

Hodgson, who had great success with Switzerland, is not having the smoothest of rides with the Italian giants despite a good start in terms of results.

With the domestic market short of top-quality available playing talent at the moment, Rovers may feel they need a man with experience of the continent.

Venables, Hodgson and Cruyff all fit that bill.

Two others who could come into the reckoning are former Leeds boss Howard Wilkinson and ex-Bolton manager Bruce Rioch who is currently second in command at Queen's Park Rangers.

Though the fans might find it hard to accept either of those who were both sacked by Premiership clubs relatively recently. Harford, who has been in charge since June last year when he had the task of following title-winning Kenny Dalglish, today wished Rovers nothing but success.

All along, he has had the club's best at heart in whatever he has done - and the same feelings were prevalent today when he quit.

He said: "It is intended in that way. It is important that the club gets out of its present situation as soon as possible and, hopefully please God, that will happen.

"Perhaps other things will change now.

"The fans have been brilliant as far as I am concerned. They have been especially fantastic this season.

"They have stuck with the team and I hope they continue to do that to help the players relax.

"That has been one of the main problems. They have been playing in a straitjacket. If the crowd can do one thing for them, it is help them to relax. "I have had the complete support of the board in my time here and I have had five years which have been a great adventure.

"It's just sad that this first blip has turned out like this.

"But I have really enjoyed my time here.

"I think we have been unlucky in lots of ways this season, but you make your own luck in some respects.

"The situation needed to change and a decision had to be made.

"I have no immediate plans but I want to be a manager. I want to work in football again and I want to be a manager who comes in from outside.

"I get bored very quickly, I get itchy feet and I know I will want to be working again very soon.

"Jack Walker didn't want me to go. Jack has been my number one fan.

"But the decision was made last night and I slept all right. I don't think it was doing the club any good.

"Jack's first words to me were that it's a sad day, but hopefully it's the right decision for Blackburn Rovers, for everybody.

"I still talk about 'we' as far as Blackburn Rovers is concerned, because that is how I feel. It's a wonderful, wonderful club with some brilliant people here."

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