LARS Jacobsen insists he is prepared to stay and fight for his place at Blackburn Rovers despite failing to feature in a single game in the last four months of the season.

Jacobsen joined Rovers on a two-year deal last summer but his arrival was quickly followed by the signing of fellow right backs Pascal Chimbonda and Michel Salgado.

The 30-year-old started the season in the team but has not figured since the Carling Cup semi final first leg against Aston Villa in January, requiring a hernia operation before Salgado’s form kept him out of the side on his return.

Salgado now looks favourite to start next season as first choice but Jacobsen, who has retained his place in the Denmark squad ahead of the World Cup despite fears his lack of games could see him miss out, says he will not demand a transfer.

“Since my injury I haven’t played a lot so the last part of the season has been disappointing for me,” said the Dane, who linked up with the national squad on Monday.

“But that’s just how it has been going for me with injuries, so after a good start it’s not been the best.

“But I just have to deal with that, move on and be better next season.

“Hopefully I will play some more games in the team.

“I still have a year’s contract here, so my mind is here.

“I still have a contract after the summer and hopefully I will be playing again.”

Jacobsen was named in his country’s official 26-man provisional World Cup squad two weeks ago and will hope to cement his place, with the squad due to be cut to 23 by June 1, when Denmark host Senegal in a friendly in Aalborg on Thursday.

The Danes - in Group E for this summer’s tournament along with the Netherlands, Japan and Cameroon - play another warm-up game against an Australia side featuring fellow Rovers stars Vince Grella and Brett Emerton in South Africa in June 1, before taking on the World Cup hosts in their final friendly on June 5.

This will be Jacobsen’s first appearance at a major international tournament so his focus is on Denmark at the moment, but once the World Cup is over the former Everton defender is determined to have a strong pre-season with Rovers and prove himself worthy of a place in the team.

“Of course I want to have a good pre-season and I have a World Cup as well to look forward to,” he said, “It’s all about getting ready for that now and getting a good start to next season, getting good preparation for that.”

Grella and Emerton are likely to face Rovers skipper Ryan Nelsen when Australia play New Zealand in a friendly in Melbourne on Monday.