Former Blackburn Rovers defender John Curtis has described the ongoing off-field issues at the club as "absolutely crazy".

Since the Rao family gained control of the Championship outfit back in November 2010, five different managers have taken charge of the team.

That has resulted in a large amount of criticism for the Indian owners from supporters, the press and those within the game. Reflecting on the problems, Curtis told Sports Mole that the club should go back to basics.

"[The last couple of years have been] crazy, absolutely crazy. I think owners at any football club should look at the Manchester United or Arsenal models as their framework as how to build a club," said the 34-year-old. "If you are going to try and do what the likes of Man City and Chelsea are doing, you need millions and millions of pounds.

"Blackburn don't have that. They need continuity and they need to build from the foundations that Jack Walker started. He took what was a relatively small club that wasn't established and built upwards.

"It doesn't happen in a day – it takes years and years. God knows how many managers they've gone through now. A couple of my friends have done it – Michael Appleton and Henning Berg, who I've played with and worked with. It's crazy what is going on and I think the owners have lost a lot respect."

Curtis spent three years at Ewood Park following his switch from Manchester United in 2000.