BLACKBURN Rovers today began the search for a new manager - and more than 20 have already applied for the post.

News of Graeme Souness's shock departure to Newcastle is still sinking in at Ewood Park, but the race to succeed him has already begun in earnest.

More than 20 candidates have already contacted the club to officially register their interest.

And Rovers' chief executive John Williams is expecting another deluge of enquiries to flood in over the next 24 hours.

Some of those who have put their names forward are already in top jobs elsewhere and Williams says the club have already got a comprehensive list of 'high-calibre' applicants.

"We've already got a list of considerably more than 20 names and many of those who have contacted have serious credentials," said Williams.

"I expect more to come in today and then we'll begin the process of sifting through them.

"We are trying not to let any personal points of view play a part at this stage. We are very much keeping an open mind.

"Then once all the names are in that's when you can start to get objective and subjective."

The board have set themselves a three week deadline to make an appointment but Williams insists they will not be rushed into making a rash decision as they begin the search for Souness's successor.

"It certainly won't happen before the Newcastle game on Saturday, but I'd like to think there might be a chance of something been done before the Portsmouth game.

"I've set myself a target of two to three weeks to make an appointment but we are not going to rush into anything and get it wrong.

"Choosing a new manager is a massive decision and we're determined to get the right man.

"If our first choice ends up being someone who is already employed elsewhere and it means taking that little bit longer, then that's got to be worth waiting for."

At this stage, Rovers do not have one specific target in mind and their policy will be to wait and see who applies before they start work on drawing up a shortlist of potential candidates.

"We owe it to our fans to concentrate on going forward now and our way of doing that is to let people come to us," said Williams.

"We are not going to seek people out, we will wait for them to come to us and express their interest.

"Then we will start to sift through that list and begin the process of finding out what particular difficulties might stand in our way of appointing certain people, in terms of release clauses, levels of compensation and that sort of thing."

The bookies have already installed Wales boss Mark Hughes as the 11/2 favourite to succeed Souness, with Gerard Houllier quoted at 6/1, Gordon Strachan 7/1 and Mike Newell 9/1.

Other names who could be in the frame are Peter Reid, Paul Jewell, Terry Venables and George Graham.

In the meantime, Williams insists Souness's tenure in the Rovers hot-seat was successful despite the struggles of the last 18 months.

When the former Liverpool and Rangers boss took over four and half years, Rovers were languishing in mid-table in the First Division.

But Souness then led the club to promotion in his first full season and followed that up with two top 10 Premiership finishes, plus Worthington Cup success in 2002.

"It's been successful and Graeme should ultimately be judged by history and what's in the record books," said Williams.

"He's had his ups and downs but his record over the last four years is not exactly bad is it?

"If I could have said four years ago when we were looking for a new manager that we'd bring someone in who'd get us promotion, consolidate our position in the Premier League, win us a cup and get us into Europe twice then I'm sure the vast majority of our fans would have bought into that.

"So as far as I'm concerned it was a good appointment and he was a successful manager for us."