ROY Hodgson is still on the look-out for fresh blood to add to his Blackburn Rovers squad - but George Donis could soon be the next big name to join the Ewood exodus.

The new boss has already displayed the streak of ruthlessness that marks him out as a manager who means business - by selling three members of the back four who helped Rovers to the championship just over two years ago.

And there could well be more outgoings in the near future, Hodgson making it clear that Greek winger Donis is well down the pecking order.

For the Ewood boss, aiming for an ideal first team squad of 22 players all capable of challenging, made it clear that reality comes before sentiment.

Colin Hendry, who was doubtful because of a bout of sickness for this afternoon's game at Tottenham, is the only member still at Ewood of the back four who played at Anfield on the day the title was clinched.

Ian Pearce's £2.3 million departure for West Ham was the latest move to bring another huge transfer profit to the club.

But Hodgson said: "I think a turnaround in the club was necessary.

"I don't think the club can live on a past glory.

"If Ian Pearce can say that West Ham is a club of great tradition, I am certain we can say the same thing because all I can remember West Ham winning is a cup in the 1980s. "So we are obviously a club of stature. But the recent past, with the championship win, tends to elevate the club to a different plane.

"If you want to stay on that plane you can't do it by just clinging on to the 11 who brought about that success. Things are going to happen.

"They are going to lose appetite, they are going to get blase, they are going to get too old, they are going to get injuries etc etc.

"I think some sort of changes were necessary, fresh blood was necesssary.

"We didn't really provoke many of the changes, such as Pearce, Berg and Le Saux. But, having said that, I have accepted the reality of the situation and that all three needed to go. Their love affair with the club had ended and you don't continue a love affair that's dead and buried."

There was still no place for Donis in this afternoon's squad despite the absence of injured Stuart Ripley and late flu victim Kevin Gallacher, the manager preferring to alter the system slightly than accommodate another natural right winger. "The game is about players not systems," he said. "We played with Ripley and Wilcox because they were the best two players.

"At the moment, I don't want to put George Donis in the team in front of players like Sherwood and McKinlay, certainly not just to protect a so-called system of play." Donis has not figured at all under Hodgson and it's fair to assume Rovers would be open to any interest in the Greek international.

Meanwhile, Hodgson pointed out that he is not under any desperate pressure to sign more players.

But he said: "As more players leave, that will create more gaps in the squad and those gaps will be filled because my ambition is to have two senior goalkeepers and a third young one, which we have, and 20 senior professionals.

"I include people like Marlon Broomes and Damien Duff in that because they have made the breakthrough. At the moment that's where we are. When we go below that number we will be looking to fill in."

Hodgson's aim is to have a senior squad all capable of being in the first team on merit.

The outfield players will comprise something like four full backs, four central defenders, eight midfield players and four forwards.

Chris Coleman is training with the first team squad almost a year since he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon at Coventry and his return to action is imminent.

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