Mid-table bliss on Blackburn agenda

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How has your pre-season gone?

Blackburn’s pre-season has been somewhat laboured this year, with us taking the ‘good to get minutes under our belt’ mentality as results have hardly set the world alight.

Performances have been steady with the only loss coming in our final game against Premiership League side Everton.

It was good to see Leon Best back in action as well as getting the new additions to gel by giving them plenty of game time.

DJ Campbell picking up a knock is frustrating, but we have enough fire power to get us through the first month of the new campaign.

Happy with how things have shaped up in terms of transfers – both in and out?

In my opinion, Gary Bowyer has bought really well. Last year we made the mistake of bringing in players at the end of the career who were here for the pay check, most notable Danny Murphy.

This year, we have brought in the likes of Matt Kilgallon, Simon Eastwood and Chris Taylor who all bring a wealth of Championship experience with them, as well as familiar faces Todd Kane (loan) and DJ Campbell, who has got himself a second bite of the cherry after a disappointing spell with us at the end of last season.

Prodigal sons Alan Judge and Alex Marrow, who are both well known to Gary Bowyer having earned their stripes at Ewood before moving on to pastures new, have both put pen to paper to rejoin the club.

Departing Ewood are David Goodwillie and Martin Olsson. Goodwillie was in and out of favour last season and has returned to formed club Dundee United for a six-month loan spell, and Olsson has bagged himself a move to Norwich in pursuit of Premiership football by pledging his allegiance to the Canaries for the next four years.

Is your current manager the right man for the job?

Absolutely. Gary Bowyer knows the club inside out and got the best out of the squad during his various tenures last season. The man deserves the freedom of the town for holding on to Jordan Rhodes as well. Great work.

Dare to dream – if everything clicked into place what’s the best you could hope for?

Why not dream big? Let’s win it at a canter. If not, I’m sure all Rovers fans would be content staying off the back pages for a while and simply restoring a modicum of pride after the farcical last couple of years. A play-off slot would be a great achievement after dodging the drop last year.

Back to reality – what are your realistic expectations for the new campaign?

I think top-half. There will be a few die-hard fans out there who will say that we should be knocking on the door of the top flight, however we are in a period of licking our wounds and getting some stability back. I’d love to go into the last month of the season in mid-table obscurity. Bliss.

Who will visiting scouts be keeping an eye on this season?

Obviously Jordan Rhodes is our marquee man, however I’d be surprised if Grant Hanley and Jake Kean don’t start attracting attention from some of the Premiership big guns sooner rather than later. Both are solid performers that give 110% every time they cross that white line.

If you had to pick one player who’d be fit for every minute of every game who would it be?

Jordan Rhodes. Simple. One chance, one goal.

On the flip side (without being cruel!), who is the player with most to prove?

Dixon Etuhu is still here picking up big money but is yet to deliver.

If you could sign any one player from any other side in the same division who would you plump for?

Troy Deeney from Watford would be a lovely addition and could take some of the pressure off Jordan Rhodes. He’s a class act who knows where the goal is.

If you only win one game all season who would you take three points from?

I’d be lynched by my fellow Rovers if I didn’t say Burnley. Three points? Make it Six.

By Roger White, FanZone’s Blackburn blogger. Follow him on Twitter at @rogerwhite86 – and don’t forget to follow @FanZone too!