GRAEME Souness believes Craig Short can play a pivotal role in helping to transform Martin Taylor into the complete defender after signing a new deal with Rovers earlier this week.

Short has taken up the option of extending his contract by a further 12 months in a move which will keep him at Ewood until the summer of 2004.

And Souness hopes the 35-year-old can use the next year or so to pass on the benefit of his vast experience to his eventual replacements before he finally considers hanging up his boots after 17 years in the professional game.

"At the end of the day, I think it depends more on the person who is learning than the player who is teaching," said Souness.

"But if you are looking for a role model, not just in football terms but in the way you live your life as a proper human being, then you wouldn't go far wrong if you chose someone like Craig Short.

"He's done well at this club in the time I've been here.

"Normally speaking, when you're looking for faults in people they must have a flaw in their make-up somewhere.

"But in the two and a half years I've worked with Craig, I haven't found one."

Ironically, Short actually took Taylor's place in the team when he returned to the starting line-up against Southampton last Saturday following a spell on the sidelines with a calf injury.

However, the former Everton defender clearly has a great deal of respect for his young protege and he has tipped the England Under 21 international for a quick return to the Rovers side.

"Tiny's had an outstanding year. In some of the games he has played in he's been absolutely outstanding," said Short.

"Okay, he's had a couple of games recently where things have gone against him but that can happen to any player, whether you're in your early 30s or your early 20s.

"But he's talented, he's got everything you need as a centre-half, so I don't think he'll be out of the team for very long."

In the meantime, Short hopes to play as much as he can over the next 12 months before he considers whether to retire or not.

He recently joined an elite band of players when he made his 500th league appearance in Rovers' 2-2 home draw with West Ham on December 28.

And Souness clearly believes his defensive king-pin still has more to offer, especially now that he has decided to scale down his training programme in a bid to prolong his career.

"He'll find that very hard to do because he's one of those that you have to hold back all the time," said Souness.

"But he's 35 now and he's got to be sensible and take care of his body which means easing off in training from time-to-time to make sure he's fit for us on a Saturday.

"I'm just delighted he's agreed to take up the option.

"If you had 11 Craig Shorts in your team then you wouldn't go far wrong as a manager."