Blackburn Rovers defender faces ‘make or break’ year

3:10pm Wednesday 16th July 2008

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BLACKBURN Rovers defender Tony Kane is desperate to make an impression under new boss Paul Ince.

But the Northern Ireland under-21 international admits the next few months could be ‘make or break’ for his future at Ewood Park.

Kane set up Paul Gallagher’s winning second-half strike against Macclesfield Town on Monday night.

And he is hoping he can keep on catching the manager’s eye as he heads out with the rest of the squad to Germany today.

He said: “I was on the bench for the first team once under Mark Hughes, he gave me a new contract and I was making progress under him, but he has gone now and things like that happen all the time in football,” said the 20-year-old right-back.

“Now it’s up to me to impress the new manager and I think having Paul Ince come in will be an exciting and interesting time for the club.

“This really is a make or break season for me at Blackburn. I want to play in the first-team and if I am going to do it I have to do it soon.

“I expect everyone will get their chance under the new manager and it’s down to me to take mine when it comes.”

Kane is also keen to force his way into Northern Ire-land manager Nigel Wort-hington’s plans after featuring in the full squad last year in matches against Latvia and Iceland.

But he knows he has to play first team football for that to happen, either at Rovers, or elsewhere.

“My time at under-21 level is almost up, but I don't really want to be playing for the under-21’s anyway, I want to be in the senior team,” he said.

“I know that I really need to be playing first-team football to break into the squad on a regular basis.

“I had a good experience being in Latvia and Iceland and I am hungry to get back there.

“With others in my position playing in the first-teams at their clubs, I really need to be at that level and if nothing is happening at Blackburn by Christmas, I will start thinking about going out on-loan in order to get some first-team football.”