JONATHAN REDHEAD Premiership side Blackburn Rovers have looked to have pulled down the shutters in readiness for a raid from Norwich City for the services of ex-Canary Mark Bowen.

JONATHAN REDHEAD

Premiership side Blackburn Rovers have looked to have pulled down the shutters in readiness for a raid from Norwich City for the services of ex-Canary Mark Bowen.

Bowen, is believed to be the Canaries' number one target for the manager's job, after Nigel Worthington was sacked at the weekend.

Bookmakers make the former Welsh international, who made 399 appearances at Carrow Road and is currently assistant to Rovers' boss Mark Hughes, clear favourite to replace Worthington.

He has spent the past few years cutting his managerial teeth under Hughes and sources close to Bowen claim he is very interested in the job at his former club, his first full managerial post.

There has also been talk of a link-up between Bowen and another former Canaries legend Ian Crook, who is currently coaching in Australia, to form a 'dream team' partnership in Norfolk.

But while Bowen has yet to comment on the situation Rovers' chairman John Williams simply cannot hide from the stories linking the 42-year-old to City and has refused to comment on the speculation point blank.

Meanwhile, there is growing speculation in Northern Ireland that national team boss Lawrie Sanchez, who has made no secret of his desire to return to management in England could be swapping jobs with Worthington.

Former Wimbledon star Sanchez, who scored the winning goal for the Crazy Gang in the 1998 is currently refusing to talk to press in the Province following a fall-out from the recent defeat by Iceland.

But he is due to front a press conference today where he is likely to be asked about the speculation, which has also linked him to the vacant managerial posts at Leeds and West Brom.

Ex-Doncaster boss Dave Penney, who is rated as an outsider for the City job by bookmakers, today also threw his hat into the ring for the Carrow Road hotseat.

The 42-year-old left Rovers in August after four-and-a-half years in charge where he lead them from the Conference to League One and their highest league finishing position in 50 years last season.

His side also knocked Aston Villa and Manchester City out of the Carling cup and were minutes away from defeating Arsenal too.

But now he says he wants to return to management.

“I've had a couple of enquiries and a couple of interviews but nothing sorted as yet,” he told BBC Sport. “It's got to be the right job for me. I'm in a position where I can take my time and look around.”

Bowen's former Welsh international colleague and another City legend Iwan Roberts has lent his weight