Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray has told Bradley Dack to "throw himself into football" following recent reports about the midfielder's private life.

Dack withdrew from the Rovers squad that lost 1-0 to Stoke on Saturday with a hamstring injury, just as reports emerged that he had split up with reality TV star girlfriend Olivia Attwood.

Speaking about Dack's absence from Saturday's defeat amidst the speculation around his personal life, Mowbray told the Lancashire Telegraph that he had spoken to the 25-year-old about off field issues, saying: “I’ve had one or two chats with Bradley over the course of the last week or so.

“Football is probably something he needs to be doing at the moment, getting out on the grass and showing everyone what a talented boy he is.

“Hopefully he’ll be ready for tonight (Tuesday, when Rovers host play-off chasing Derby) and hopefully he can throw himself in to football and express his talent to everybody.”

Mowbray added that while he does not keep tabs on his sides private lives, he is happy to speak with them about such issues, saying: “I do have really good relationships with all of my players I would like to think, and they know where my office is if they think I can help with anything in their social lives."

Following an impressive start to his first season in the Championship that saw him reach double figures by goals in New Years Day, Dack has since scored just twice in his last 13 league appearances, a run which has coincided with Rovers themselves having won just one of their last 11 games.

The verdict

Despite his recent struggles, Dack's work rate and commitment mean he has remained a key player for Rovers in recent months, and you feel everyone around the club will hope to see that from him again when he returns to action for Rovers.

With the press scrutiny around any high profile relationship meaning that no private life is really private, you feel that 90 minutes focusing on what's going on around him on a football pitch could be a welcome relief for Dack.