Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams has a shortlist of names to succeed sacked manager Paul Ince.

The Daily Mail says Williams' preferred candidates have not changed since he fired Ince after only three wins in 17 Premier League matches: Steve McClaren, of FC Twente, and Hamburg's Martin Jol are the new names in the frame. Jol, who yesterday ruled himself out of the Sunderland job, will face up to Aston Villa in the UEFA Cup tonight.

Cardiff have said their manager, Dave Jones, cannot speak to Blackburn, but all three hold less appeal than Graeme Souness, Sam Allardyce or Alan Curbishley, who are free to start preparing second-from- bottom Blackburn for Saturday's big survival battle against Stoke.

Souness is seen as an ideal short-term solution, but Williams is ready to take his time to avoid a second, costly mistake.