BLACKBURN Rovers is undertaking a major review of Academy and Reserve team football in an attempt to attract and develop top young footballers who can become successful senior squad members at Ewood.

Chairman, John Williams, is heading up a working party which includes Manager, Mark Hughes, and Academy Manager, Bobby Downes.

The detailed brief is to examine three key areas i) Scouting and Recruitment ii) Coaching and Development and iii) logistics/housekeeping.

The club hopes that a series of proposed changes and recommendations will pay with dividends over the coming years.

"It is a multi-faceted review, a root and branch examination of what we do, what works and what doesn't," said Mr Williams. "For us to remain competitive we must identify young players at home and abroad. It is not easy to find players who go on to be good enough to play for the first team but that's the challenge and we must meet it."

Williams went on, "It was generally agreed Scouting and Recruitment is our top priority an we have tackled this first. We want even closer integration between academy and senior activities.

We have created a new scouting department headed up by Chief Scout, Mike Rigg. He will be joined by Martyn Glover who will have a wider role (15-21) at home and abroad.

Acting on a further recommendation from the working group the club has created a new post of Scouting Co-ordinator (Kevin Cruickshanks has joined to take up the position). Steve Nickson, Mark Curran and Tony Hartley will concentrate on the 6-14 age bracket but will by supported by the 'co-ordinator' as will Mike Rigg and Martyn Glover.

Mr Rigg joined Rovers last season from Sheffield Wednesday where he was involved in the youth set-up and he was previously technical director of the Welsh FA during Mark Hughes' reign as national manager.

"We have made significant progress in scouting under Mike's direction, but there is much more to be done," said Mark Hughes. "Our network of scouts has grown significantly in the past couple of years to increase our intelligence in terms of footballers across the globe.

"As well as increase staffing levels we are developing a sophisticated computer system which will enable us to track the progress of any potential targets both here and abroad.

"We need the young players pushing for our first team to be of a very high standard, whether we bring them through from a very young age or sign them later through the transfer market.

"Either way, it is absolutely imperative that our scouting and recruitment system is not only efficient but also working to full capacity."

Bobby Downes said: "Recruitment is key at every level and any initiative that helps us to attract top young players has to be warmly welcomed.

"It is all very progressive, not least the furthering of links between the Academy, Reserves and First Team. A need has been recognised and the club is clearly keen to take some very positive steps forward."

Mr Rigg said: "Recruitment is all about having first class scouts watching as many games as possible, backed up with a top class administration system and a finely-tuned reporting structure.

"We now have upwards of 60 scouts on call and, next week, I am travelling over to Europe to try to add more contacts to our list.

"We have been chipping away at the whole thing for a few months now, trying to highlight areas for improvement, and the club has really taken our findings on board.

It is vital that there is a seamless bridge between the senior and youth set ups.

"Everyone has embraced the principle and the meetings and discussions have been very positive. The Chairman has been proactive in setting up the review and making sure action points have been implemented.

"Some of the things we do will continue unchanged while others will change dramatically to make way for new thinking and direction.

"Perhaps we will never achieve the ultimate system whereby we always get the player we want and no-one ever slips through the net. Maybe that is impossible, but what is possible is to have a system which gives you the best chance and that is what we are striving for."

Focus of the Working Party (which is still sitting) now turns to coaching and development. Again the priority will be the further integration of the club's activities and Glyn Hodges and Gary Bowyer will be making major contributions.

"Of course we want our Academy to win games, we want the reserves to win games, because winning is a habit, but more importantly we need to unearth and develop future stars" added Mr Williams.