Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams admits he's been preparing for Mark Hughes' departure since January.

"We had a first taste of this in January, when the Newcastle job cropped up," Williams told the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. "That sets your mind running and I would be lying if I said the thought process didn't start after that.

"It's only when it becomes reality that you then have to start thinking about acting on it, and that's the situation we find ourselves in now.

"I have an idea of the direction in which we want to go, and so I should because you have to prepare yourself for this eventuality.

"This is a very good job and it will be highly sought after.

"I'd like to think there's a growing appreciation within the game that this is an attractive job to have.

"Someone will be lucky enough to get it and then when they do, they will have the responsibility of taking on a top half Premier League team and trying to make us better."