ROY Hodgson believes a mad March fixture list could yet give a helping hand to Blackburn Rovers' hopes of a top-two Premiership place, writes PETER WHITE.

And that would be a magnificent achievement after last season's desperate struggle and the previous year's disappointments.

Two games inside a four-day spell, at Leeds and Everton, combined with virtually four weeks off, is a remarkable state of affairs that does not altogether please the Ewood boss.

But Hodgson is taking the positive view that, in the long run, it could benefit the club and assist them to relaunch a major offensive on the run-in.

"I am not terribly happy to have a considerable break in the programme at this stage of the season," he said.

"But it could be an advantage to have a bit of time free and really get ourselves in the best possible physical and mental shape for what is going to be a very exciting April and May."

There is an international programme later this month, meaning no Premiership fixtures on Saturday, March 21, but Hodgson aims to use the free time available to his advantage.

Some players will be given the opportunity to rest and recuperate. Others may benefit from extra training.

It all depends on individual needs.

"I am hoping that when we go into April we will have everybody fit, the squad will really be competing for places in the team and we will have as good an end to the season as we had at the beginning," said the manager.

"If we were to do that, then I think we are going to be very close to the top two spots."

Rovers travel to Leeds and Everton next week but don't play again until March 31 against Barnsley. Tim Flowers (shoulder injury) is one of the players benefiting from the present break and he is desperate to see Rovers clinch a European place.

He wants to set the record straight after their Champions' League flop just over two years ago

And he believes they will be better prepared to take on Europe next time.

The keeper is also looking to add some World Cup highlights to his Euro 96 memories.

"We got some stick last time and maybe we were a little bit green.

"But it's very difficult when you attack a Champions' League campaign and you've got apprentices on the bench," said Flowers.

"We just weren't equipped. We won the League and didn't sign any players. We knew we were going to be in the Champions' League but the club just knocked off in my opinion.

"We just went dormant for the summer and it cost us that year. We just weren't good enough to play in the Champions' League.

"When Liverpool won the title, for example, the first thing they did was buy three big-name players.

"That was their mentality. That was what we failed to do - and it cost us."

Flowers also has a lot of confidence in the youngsters coming through at Ewood and points out that Hodgson has brought money in, rather than spent big.

"Everyone still thinks of Blackburn as Jack Walker and they call us 'Moneybags Rovers'," he said.

"But that is far from the truth, because we've been relatively quiet in the market for the last three years.

"We've been more of a selling club lately."

If Rovers do clinch a European spot, it can only do good for Flowers' World Cup ambitions.

Callum Davidson has now started training at Brockhall, after recovering from the hamstring injury which he had at the time he joined Rovers.

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