Jon Dahl Tomasson: Blackburn Rovers 'young' squad hope for play-offs to prove doubters wrong

Blackburn did everything but score a crucial second in their 1-1 draw with Luton

Boss Jon Dahl Tomasson says reaching the Championship play-offs with a "young" Blackburn Rovers squad would answer their pre-season doubters.

Rovers are in the top six mix with a game left, although they must win and need other results to go their way.

They play Millwall, who currently occupy the final top-six spot with a two-point lead over three teams below.

"Everybody loves to have something to play for, that's what you want," Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"We have one 'final' left, and who wouldn't have taken this situation that we can play for the play-offs in the last game of the season?

"After a long season, I will for sure have taken it. I know we need other results as well, but this team has shown another way of getting back togetherness, they showed energy.

"Nobody expected us to be around the play-offs, so we want to prove everybody wrong in a transition season, with a very young squad.

"I can tell you the squad will be ready for this game."

With an average squad age of 24.1 years, and only two players in goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski and defender Daniel Ayala over 30, Rovers are a team with youth threaded through it.

Blackburn's opportunity rests in beating Millwall, and hoping their inferior goal difference does not cost them, with Sunderland and West Brom also in the mix

Tomasson, who won titles at Malmo in Sweden and also coached in the Netherlands with Excelsior and Roda JC, could only watch as his side drew their fifth game in six at home to Luton on Monday.

Goals have been in short supply of late, not helped by the loss of Sam Gallagher to injury during the 1-1 draw with Coventry game last month.

Such an absence has forced some creative team selections without a senior forward, such as winger Tyrhys Dolan leading the line, while the cover off the bench is inexperienced.

Gallagher has not been ruled out for the final day, with the Dane admitting the risk is off-set by the reward of play-off football.

"First of all, at this stage of the season you would like your only senior number nine Sam Gallagher to be involved in every game," Tomasson said.

"They're working extremely hard to get the boy ready, he's doing everything that he can.

"We shouldn't put pressure on young Harry [Leonard], he's 18 years old, you want the senior striker, who is used to scoring goals, playing in this game.

"I think we can't complain about the effort, the performance and the chances the boys are creating - at this level there are more than enough.

"It's quite brilliant really that the players are able to do it week after week, it's the same old story. The only thing we didn't see was goals."