BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today deliberately tried to 'sex up' tomorrow's clash with Wolves at Ewood in a bid to get his players turned on ahead of the new season.

Souness has admitted that some of his stars have struggled to motivate themselves for pre-season encounters against the likes of Wigan and Blackpool.

However, the Rovers chief believes the sight of Wanderers rolling into town will be enough to stir the passion in his squad as his 'big game' players raise themselves for the challenge of another Premiership campaign.

"Looking back, I should maybe have picked some more glamourous games for the players to get excited about," said Souness, in reference to Rovers' pre-season friendly campaign.

"If I've learnt anything from this pre-season it's the fact I've got some big game players.

"Every day in training I've got to look to give them something different to turn them on -- that's part of my job.

"Going to places like Wigan and Blackpool didn't excite them enough.

"So that's something I've learn for next year but it shouldn't be a problem tomorrow.

"This will be Wolves' first game in the Premiership and they'll come to Ewood determined to do well.

"But we've got a good team with good players and it's up to us to go out and show that."

Rovers' pre-season form has been patchy to say the least.

Wins against Blackpool, Bray Wanderers and Italian outfit, Chievo, have been tempered by defeats at Oldham and Wigan Athletic.

However, Souness has always stressed that friendlies are for fitness purposes only and, in that sense, his players are where he wants them to be going into the opening day.

"In every game we have played, we've been made to work very hard because they've been big games for the opposition," said Souness.

"So we are where we should be from a fitness point of view although I think our performances could have been better, certainly against Blackpool and Wigan.

"You can't read too much into the Oldham performance because they'd only just got off a flight back from America.

"But the Wigan game was a big disappointment."

Wolves are sure to provide another stern test of Rovers' credentials tomorrow.

Dave Jones's newly promoted side boasted a decent away record in the First Division last season, losing just two of their last 11 games on their travels on the way to securing promotion.

On top of that, they have a history of starting the season well, having lost just once on the opening day since 1990.

"It's never a good time to play a newly-promoted side on the opening day of the season," said Souness.

"But to be quite honest, I'm not really interested in them. It's all about us.

"Wolves have obviously done well to get out of the First Division because we know from our own experience that's not an easy thing to do.

"Historically, they are also a big club but they'll be essentially looking to survive this season and we also know how difficult that can be."

Craig Short is out for three months with a knee injury.

Rovers are likely to choose from: Friedel, Neill, Gresko, Taylor, Amoruso, Flitcroft, Tugay, Thompson, Cole, Yorke, Jansen, Johansson, Todd, McEveley, Gallagher, Ostenstad, Grabbi, Kelly.