WHAT a mess. What a horrible mess. None of which, it has to be stressed, is Blackburn Rovers’ doing.

Take emotion out of the equation and the collapse of Jordan Rhodes’ £11m transfer to Middlesbrough is bad news for all parties concerned.

Rhodes wanted to go. The consummate professional that is, there is no doubt that he will, in his own words, ‘get his work head back on at Blackburn’. Would you bet against him scoring in Saturday’s Riverside Stadium meeting between the sides? I wouldn’t. But he wanted to go. Just like he wanted to go in the summer.

For Middlesbrough they are deprived of a striker whose goals, going by his incredible record in the Championship, could well have fired them to promotion to the Premier League and all the riches that come with it.

And for Rovers they are deprived of the chance to use the funds generated by Rhodes’ departure to rebuild the team and club now they are free from their Financial Fair Play embargo.

That was the argument Paul Lambert put across after the FA Cup win at Oxford United, a match in which their top-scorer was notably absent.

It was a convincing one.

Don’t get me wrong, as I said in these very pages a week ago, selling Rhodes would still represent a gamble, regardless of the promising performance his team-mates produced without him at the Kassam Stadium.

He as good as guarantees 20 goals a season and with Rovers too close to the relegation places for comfort, and, up until Saturday at least, struggling to find the net, there is a strong case to suggest that now is not the time to cash in. That the club should wait until the summer and reassess.

Lancashire Telegraph:

Rhodes is also the one remaining true Ewood Park hero, especially to the younger generation of supporters, who have witnessed some of the most turbulent times in the club’s history, and who did not have the pleasure to live through the 1994-95, 2000-01, 2001-02 seasons and others besides.

But Rhodes is an expensive hero. Four players could be brought in on his weekly wage and the fee received for his services would allow Lambert to freshen up a squad which, even with the best goalscorer outside of the top flight in it, under-achieved last season and have toiled so far this.

The Rovers boss yesterday issued fresh comments after it became clear that the Scotland’s international move to Middlesbrough had fallen through over personal terms which, in itself, was incredibly surprising, given this was move that has been the best part of nine months in the making.

Boro, let’s not forget, made bids for Rhodes in March and July last year. They have never been off the scene. A fee was agreed. It should all have been a formality.

But Lambert’s original comments, given to the local media after the his side cruised into the last 16 of the FA Cup, still stand and are well worth reproducing here.

Lambert said: “I had a chat with Jordan and he wanted to go.

“The club maybe should have taken (the money) when it happened before because the club has to rebuild. That’s evident to compete in the Championship – and I’m talking about the top end; to try and get out of the league. The club has to be rebuilt and the investment will help.

“It’s great scoring goals but if you’re not getting enough points and you’re not getting near the play-offs or the top of the table then it defeats the purpose. It’s chicken or the egg.

Lancashire Telegraph:

“We have to build a team here to get up the league. It can’t revolve around one person. It’s got to revolve around an 18, 19, or 20-odd man squad. We’ve got to get that balance right and that’s what we’ll try and do in the summer.

“We have to have a plan here. This club has to have a plan to move forward. There is a lot, a lot of work to get done. Sometimes you have to go back to go forward and the Jordan thing, while people will be disappointed, they have to understand why we have done it. This football club will outweigh any individual. It always will. And we have to make ourselves as strong as we can.

“Nobody can criticise Jordan Rhodes’ contribution to Blackburn Rovers. He’s been a phenomenon. But that’s football. We have to get a better team. That’s my concern, having a team that can compete to get out of the league, and hopefully the money will help us in that aspect.”

Asked if Rovers can move on without Rhodes, Lambert said: “100 per cent. I will state my life on it.

“Blackburn Rovers will be long here after I’m away. Blackburn Rovers is more important than any individual. This football club will get stronger and the investment will hopefully help.

“Today was a perfect answer and the lads deserve a lot of credit for their performance today.”

Judging by that last comment it would be surprising if Rhodes goes straight back into Lambert’s starting line-up for Saturday’s trip to – of all teams – Middlesbrough.

But given the dramatic events of the last three days neither would it be surprising if there is another twist before the transfer window closes at 11pm.

But whatever happens, a resolution is needed. Rovers have been messed about enough.