If ever there was a statement designed to grab the headlines it was Sam Allardyce’s claim a little under two weeks ago that: “I would be more suited to Inter or Real Madrid…It wouldn’t be a problem for me because I would win the double or the league every time.”

However, the former candidate for the England national team job continues to potter along at cash-strapped Rovers to good effect, with their hard-earned win at Blackpool last weekend taking them up to ninth in the EPL, ahead of teams such as Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton.

Brett Emerton scored in injury-time after Blackpool’s Matt Phillips had equalised Charlie Adam’s freak own goal which had given Rovers a half-time lead.

 

And Allardyce was quick to praise controversial Senegalese forward El-Hadj Diouf, saying: “He was absolutely brilliant. It was a major, major contribution to us winning today.

“Nobody could get the ball off him today and he’s been consistently good for us. Not just in today’s game but for the whole season.”

Allardyce is looking to the future, having brought out-of-contract French under-21 midfielder Herold Goulon to the club for a trial.

The youngster, who has been released by Ligue 1 side Le Mans, has been dubbed the “new Patrick Viera” and reportedly attracted interest from top European sides such as Milan.

There has been no further progress over the last fortnight with Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed’s proposed “£300m” Rovers takeover.

Rovers visit Stoke City in the EPL on Saturday at 3pm.