GARY Megson's recent appointment as manager of Norwich City could well prompt more transfer speculation involving Blackburn Rovers.

The new Carrow Road chief is expected to start wheeling and dealing, unloading a number of players to reshape his First Division squad.

And Norwich sources reckon that 20-year-old left-sided forward Darren Eadie will be one of those on his way.

But it looks like someone may be jumping the gun to suggest he is Ewood bound. Eadie is a player reckoned to have figured quite prominently on Rovers' wanted list in the past and Ray Harford has made it clear he is still in the market for new blood.

But any potential renewal of interest in Eadie could well have been overtaken by events.

Rovers have taken Swedish international Niklas Gudmundsson on an extended loan, with a view to a permanent transfer, and are hoping he can make a major impression once he has attained full match fitness. They also have Matty Holmes in the squad, with the former West Ham man having produced some outstanding performances in the reserves without yet being able to establish himself as a firm contender for the senior team.

And Jason Wilcox is now waiting for the junior and reserve team games to resume so that he can start playing again after his nine-month absence with a cruciate ligament injury.

On the other hand, Harford himself could be prepared to both buy and sell once the Christmas and New Year fixture rush is over.

Suggestions that the likes of Kenny Dalglish or Alex Ferguson could yet have some future role to play in Irish football are still being made, with the race to step into Jack Charlton's shoes as manager of the Republic of Ireland set to hot up next week. But the whole scenario could yet prove rather confusing, because of the voting set-up within the Irish FA.

One experienced Dublin observer told me that the names of both Dalglish and Ferguson were still among those most mentioned as possible successors to Charlton. But he felt that whether they would want what would be the unenviable task of following Charlton's success story was another matter.

There have been suggestions, however, that the Irish may appoint a top man to dictate policy with a track-suited coach, such as Mick McCarthy or Ronnie Whelan, to take charge of coaching and the players on a match basis. That sort of role could have more appeal if the Irish are determined to sign up a big name.

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