Rosler ready to upset promotion favourites

Seventh-placed Rovers and ninth-placed Town go into tonight’s rearranged meeting level on points in the League One table.

Rosler believes there is no pressure on his players at Ewood Park with their hosts expected to win promotion back to the Championship.

Rosler said: “I have known Tony for a while, I really like his style of play; last season he went in at Blackburn and he nearly pulled it (survival) off.

“He is the favourite in this league with the biggest budget; I think he bought really well.

“He is managing the football club really well, there is more calmness around the place – from what I gather from the outside – he is an experienced man and he has coached at the highest level.

“I always have a good talk to him as a football man, I always listen to him because you can pick up things here and there.”

In terms of his line-up for tonight, Rosler may have a decision to make in defence.

He brought in Baily Cargill for skipper Nathan Pond in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Oxford United.

Pond has been promoted with Town six times and could potentially lead the side out at Ewood Park for the first time in their history.

Rosler said: “Pondy had played quite a bit; we opted to play Baily.

“Pondy is 32, he will obviously take our average age up but I’m very happy to have him because he is so important on the pitch and off the pitch.

“It is fantastic for the football club to have somebody who is guiding those young players and Pondy is doing a very good job.

“I think it is very important that we are appreciating our experienced players, like Bobby (Grant), like Chris Neal, Pondy, Ash Eastham.

“They are doing a good job and without them it would be very difficult.”