STEVE Kean insists he is ready to fight to keep the nucleus of his Blackburn Rovers squad together – but last ditch talks with Junior Hoilett will prove fruitless.

The Rovers boss travels to India to speak to owners Venky’s on Tuesday and, adamant his job is not under threat, will plead with them to provide financial backing to earn an instant Premier League return.

A 2-1 defeat at Chelsea in yesterday’s Premier League finale was a bit of a non event, with nothing to play for for either side, but Kean has no doubt relegation won’t cost him his job.

Co owner Anuradha Desai is understood to be under heavy pressure from directors and advisors, as well as supporters, to change the manager but he is confident he will continue.

Junior Hoilett is one who won’t be at Rovers next season, with top clubs from home and abroad circling for the out of contract Canadian.

The likes of Yakubu, Steven Nzonzi, Martin Olsson and Scott Dann are also on several clubs’ wish list, but Kean says Rovers have to fight to keep their stars.

Kean said: “The rebuilding starts straight away. In any type of rebuild you have to fight for the players you have got under contract because the clubs will be swarming around and trying to take the service of some of our players.

“It is about making sure you can keep the majority of the squad together.

“I will be going out to speak to the owners and will be continuing the talks we have already had and build as competitive a squad as we can. I do it every season.

“When I go out and speak with the owners, we will talk about what went on last season and the rebuild programme will stay within the club. We will move forward.

“We can speak about some of the reasons why things never went as well as they could but we just need to move forward now.

“I don’t know what people think. We can reflect on the season and go through certain reasons and some circumstances we need to talk about about why we didn’t get the points we needed.

“Those young players have shown they are good enough to play at this level. I know we are now at the level below but we have to add quality and add depth and make sure we are competitive to kick us forward.”

Kean declined to comment on reports he will suggest press officer Paul Agnew as a potential chief executive to Desai on Wednesday – saying he would prefer to keep all talks confidential.

He did though refuse to give up hope on securing Hoilett’s Ewood Park future, although the Lancashire Telegraph understand relegation has confirmed his departure.

“It is going to be tough with Junior,” said Kean. “We have tried numerous times to get a contract signed and I don’t even think it is going to be just clubs in this country.

“I am told there is interest from abroad and I can understand the reason why because he has given us some great performances, not only this season but the last couple of seasons.

“We will make a last ditch effort to get something in front of him and you never know.”