Steve Waggott believes there has to be a solidarity among clubs to help address financial concerns within the game.

Championship clubs have been hard-hit by the coronavirus lockdown which has seen the season suspended indefinitely since March 13.

Rovers have since placed a number of non-playing staff on furlough, with players, management and executive staff agreeing a wage deferral of between 33 and 50 per cent to ease costs.

Waggott says those on furlough will be phased back to work in due course, and hopes the financial issues within the game can be addressed in the medium-term. 

While a salary cap would likely prove impractical among second-tier clubs, the Rovers chief executive hopes there will be a re-aligning of wages paid to players moving forward.

He said: “I think it has to be a collective and consistent solidarity position of clubs where we manage agents fees better, the size of squads better, and to a bandwidth of what’s acceptable with salaries, that would be better, although difficult to implement.

“It would mean players are making a decision solely on the club and style of play and whether it would progress their career, rather than just chasing the money, and their representatives chasing the money.

“It would change the complexion of football that in my eyes, for a much more positive environment to work with.

“There will be a general correction of life in general, and I think there will be a correction in football also.”

Owners Venky’s agreed meet the shortfall in wages paid to staff through the Government’s job retention scheme to 100 per cent, with all salaries met at the club since March.

As football makes tentative steps towards a possible re-start, with Championship clubs having stated their intention to complete the 2019/20 campaign, Waggott says those placed on furlough will be brought back to work.

On those workers continuing to work, albeit from home, Waggott added: “They are the obvious ones really.

“The ones that need to be working alongside me to make sure the club still operates at a safe club, all the health and safety aspects, I must cover all the three sites, Ewood, the Senior Training Centre and the Academy.

“Everyone who isn’t furloughed is working from home which put an additional burden on the IT department to make sure everyone was able to access different platforms to have our daily and weekly meetings.

“Financially we need to make sure we have the payroll, so that everyone gets paid, and one or two other smaller functions, but equally important, maintaining all the pitches. We have one groundsman at each site making sure all the pitches are ready.

“Ewood looks in prime condition as if it was the start of the season, they’re all in good shape and ready to go. It’s about being prepared for when a decision is made, and we’re told the season will resume, we’re ready to go.

“I will then phase people back in.”