Retail therapy needed for Samba

NEW BLACKBURN boss Steve Kean believes the promise of new faces in the January transfer window can convince want-away defender Christopher Samba to stay.

Kean stripped Samba of the club captaincy ahead of the St Stephen’s Day defeat at Stoke but will bring him back for tonight’s trip to West Brom pending a fitness test.

Kean jetted out to India to meet Rovers’ new owners before Christmas and says the news he brought home to his squad has eased the fears of senior players.

Kean said: “When I told Chris the plans for the transfer window he was very positive so hopefully he can look at it in a different light now and hopefully he will stay.

“Since I came back and explained what is going to be happening they [senior players] have been reassured and I don’t think there has been anything negative.

“We will be submitting a list to the owners and it is inevitable we will be bringing in at least a few bodies, because we are thin on the ground a bit in key positions.”

Kean knows he has to work just as fast to ease the fears of Rovers fans since the shock dismissal of Sam Allardyce.

But despite the prospect of two consecutive away games, Kean believes the spirit in the squad will soon get them back to winning ways.

“Everybody is under pressure when you lose games but we will be looking forward,” said Kean. “I just hope the fans can see we’re being positive and working as a team.

“We’ve got two away games that are not easy on paper because West Brom and Sunderland play very well at home but it’s about time we stuck together as players when we are on the road.”