‘Vicious’ fans put wind up Kean

BELEAGUERED Blackburn boss Steve Kean yesterday intimated he would not feel safe meeting with fans of the club following treatment he described as “vicious” during Tuesday night’s defeat to Bolton.

A situation that has been escalating throughout the season reached its nadir at Ewood Park as Rovers were beaten 2-1 by their local rivals and fellow strugglers to drop to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Kean has been a lightning rod for fans’ frustration and a small group took their protests to the club’s training ground yesterday.

Asked if he would consider meeting with those supporters, the Scot said: “I have to take direction from other people as far as health and safety and making sure if we do anything like that it’s in a proper environment.

“At the game the other night it was pretty vicious so it would have to be in an environment where first and foremost it was safe.”

Home defeats to West Brom and Bolton have left Blackburn in a perilous position, and it does not get any easier for Kean with a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool on St Stephen’s Day followed by another away game against Manchester United.

Rovers have also been hit hard by injuries, particularly in defence, with Scott Dann, Martin Olsson, Ryan Nelsen and Gael Givet all out.

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson is also a doubt for Monday’s clash, although Kean is hoping he will be able to play despite a tear in his calf muscle, while Givet underwent a successful heart operation on Thursday after suffering palpitations in the defeat at Sunderland earlier this month.

Kean called for fans to recognise his problems, saying: “I can understand if they’re getting uptight about the position we’re in. We’re all uptight about it but we feel, with the right ability to select the squad, [that can improve].

“If five defenders are injured, there’s nothing we can do about that. We’re praying and hoping they get back as quickly as possible.

“Gael Givet’s had a very successful heart operation and we expect him to be back in full training within a week.

“I would hope the fans can see that and understand that if any of those players were fit, they would play. We’re playing players out of position.

“I felt the players responded very well [against Bolton] and, right with the very last header of the game, we were unfortunate Chris Samba couldn’t clip it in.”