Runners and riders for the Blackburn job

Graeme Souness is the early favourite to replace Paul Ince as Blackburn manager after the former MK Dons and Mansfield Town boss was sacked this morning. Souness, who was in charge at Rovers from 2000-04, is available at odds of 6-4 Photograph: John Walton/PA

Sam Allardyce, who has been out of the game since leaving Newcastle by mutual consent in January, is second favourite at 4-1 Photograph: Mike Egerton/PA

Alan Curbishley, the ex-Charlton and West Ham boss, is considered a good bet by some at 6-1 Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian

Rovers hero Alan Shearer, who led the club to the Premier League title in 1995 with 34 league goals in 42 appearances, is also in the running at 12-1 Photograph: Action Images

Former Liverpool and Lyon boss Gérard Houllier may jump at the chance to return to English football. He's priced 12-1 Photograph: Fred Dufour/AFP/Getty Images

Tugay, the veteran Rovers midfielder currently on a 12-month playing and coaching contract with the club, says he hopes he has more great times at Blackburn still to come. But the bookies don't fancy his chances of becoming manager - he's currently 14-1 Photograph: Christopher Thomond/Guardian

Avram Grant, who told Sky Sports he loves the Premier League and is apparently pining for a return after losing his post at Chelsea, is one of several outsiders at 16-1 Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

Gordon Strachan stormed out of a press conference earlier this month after being quizzed over his long-term future with Celtic. Neverthless, he's also down at 16-1 Photograph: Jon Super/AP

Martin Jol, the current Hamburg coach who was in charge at Spurs, is 16-1 Photograph: Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images

Alan Pardew dragged Charlton into the relegation battle in the Championship before leaving the club last month. Despite his failings, he's also at 16-1 Photograph: Ian Walton/Getty Images