PASCAL Chimbonda insists ‘there is life after Benni McCarthy’ at Ewood Park, claiming Rovers still have the firepower to continue their rise up the Premier League table.

The Blackburn Rovers’ full back has sympathised with McCarthy’s reasons for his imminent switch to West Ham United but has backed the club’s remaining strikers to make light of the South African’s departure.

McCarthy was yet to complete his switch to the Hammers last night, with work permit complications slowing the deal, but both parties are still fully confident the move will go ahead for in the region of £2million.

The two clubs are currently discussing the prospect of McCarthy moving on loan initially, to take away the problem of needing a new visa this month, but Rovers would only agree to that if West Ham produce a cast-iron guarantee a permanent move would follow in the summer.

Rovers though won’t move to replace McCarthy until the deal is officially sealed, with his appearance against Rovers for West Ham tomorrow now extremely unlikely, leaving Allardyce frustrated in his fresh striker hunt.

Stoke City’s James Beattie, Manchester City’s Benjani and Portsmouth loanee Aruna Dindane have all emerged on Rovers’ wish-list as the clock continues to tick on the January transfer window.

Nikola Kalinic’s 76th-minute goal opened his own Premier League account in Wednesday night’s 2-1 win over Wigan though and, with Jason Roberts and Franco Di Santo waiting on the sidelines, Chimbonda is confident the future remains bright whatever the next few days have in store.

He said: “When Benni was not there we were still winning. We have the strikers to replace Benni, Jason Roberts, Niko Kalinic and Franco Di Santo.

“Niko obviously scored against Wigan, which was very good for him and very good for us.

“He is showing more confidence. The more he plays the more confident he gets. The manager is giving him confidence and that is good for him and for us.

“When you come into this league, he didn’t speak good English and that is hard for him. But we have helped him do his best because we knew he had quality and knew what he could bring to the team.

“We have had two good results in two games and it is good for the future.”

McCarthy’s recent actions have subjected him to considerable criticism over the last couple of days, with his decision to go AWOL in an attempt to force the move to Upton Park Chimbonda though insists he understands McCarthy’s motives and wishes him the best for the rest of the season and the summer’s World Cup - but does not expect to face him at West Ham tomorrow.

“Benni has been at Blackburn for a long time,” he said. “Sometimes when you play football you just feel it is time for a change and Benni felt that.

“He wasn’t playing every game and the World Cup is close and it maybe his last World Cup. He gets this chance to go and play. It is good for him and I tell him good luck.

“West Ham are in the same position as us. They need to win like we do because the gap between the teams in the bottom is not far.

I don’t know if Benni will be playing for them on Saturday, maybe not.”