Blackburn Rovers Blog: Is this the start of Kean’s recovery? (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Blackburn Rovers Blog: Is this the start of Kean’s recovery?
3:08pm Thursday 22nd March 2012 in Andy Cryer's Blackburn Rovers blog
By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter
A strong month does not make a summer but the tide certainly seems to be turning after Rovers’ back-to-back wins.
Steve Kean is getting a lot of plaudits, particularly from inside the game, for recent results and no-one is more delighted than this newspaper at the turn in fortunes.
Last December we called for Kean to go and we took a hefty sideswipe at the owners.
Venky’s have done little to alter our opinion in the interim but Kean appears to be now making some progress on the steep managerial learning curve.
There’s still a long way to go - and some of his statements about performances and transfer activity across the months still make me wince.
If Rovers stay up – and it’s great news that this is looking likely – most of Kean’s critics may be prepared to at least put their huge reservations on hold.
But let’s be clear: it will take quite a lot more time, with evidence of a sustained improvement, for him to prove he is the man to take the club forward in the long term.
Going back to December, let’s remember that Kean had won just seven league games from his 37 at the helm, the fans were in uproar and the club was four points adrift of safety. No one could be more delighted than us that there are now signs of recovery.
We were even probably a couple of months behind the Kean out beat being drummed by the majority as we waited for as long as possible before taking the almost unprecedented step of calling for the manager to leave.
Kean though has shown great dignity in the way he has handled his critics.
Now he has started getting results and that is always what a manager will get judged on. If he continues, the support will start to turn in his favour.
It is important to note one swallow does not make a summer. Rovers’ bid for survival has certainly been helped by the ineptitude of some of their rivals.
A second successive survival scrap, after bold statements about European football, is clearly still not good enough.
While the jury is out, there is no doubt Kean is showing signs that he is learning and no one would be happier than us if, come the turn of the year, we are in a position where we can hold our hands up and say he is the right man for the job.
Our opinion on Venky’s ownership of the club has not changed. Rovers’ survival would be despite them rather than because of them.
What survival would do though is give them a second chance. They have two choices now. Spend money the way they promised or admit their initial statements were misleading.
No one would have expected Venky’s to have splashed the cash in pursuit of Europe had Venky’s and Kean not said they would.
Sam Allardyce was sacked for the club to progress and that has not happened. It is time the owners told us why.
If Venky’s real aim is to run a stable club who will count success as staying in the Premier League then admit it. Keep talking about lofty ambitions though and the fans will keep expecting.
Most important of all, let’s all continue to get behind the Telegraph’s Shout Them to Safety campaign and keep our beloved club in the Premiership.
Comments are closed on this article.

Comments (25)
3:14pm Thu 22 Mar 12
100%ROVERS says...
VENKYS OUT !!!
HUNT OUT !!!
3:18pm Thu 22 Mar 12
RobbyRover says...
3:20pm Thu 22 Mar 12
NickH1982 says...
3:22pm Thu 22 Mar 12
MORTEN GAMST 84 says...
3:23pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Rishtonian says...
Kean has to go along with Venky's
OUT with Kean
OUT with Venky's
3:25pm Thu 22 Mar 12
MORTEN GAMST 84 says...
3:29pm Thu 22 Mar 12
cboyer says...
3:35pm Thu 22 Mar 12
dallydally says...
3:58pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Crow27 says...
I, like many others didn't want Kean in charge but if the players are happy then like it or not we should be happy.
Come on Rovers!!!
Venkys Out still!
4:24pm Thu 22 Mar 12
gudari says...
4:30pm Thu 22 Mar 12
merlinrabbit says...
4:33pm Thu 22 Mar 12
merlinrabbit says...
4:37pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Gaz M says...
4:45pm Thu 22 Mar 12
CJB official says...
4:46pm Thu 22 Mar 12
god Im bored says...
He put us in this mess & has taken 14, yes, 14 months to get 2 wins back to back!!
WOW!! what an achievement, he must be thinking he's good now (Mancini has just done 20 home wins on the bounce!)
Pathetic Kean!!
5:29pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Reg Rover says...
Blackburn Rovers deputy chief executive Mr Paul Hunt has issued a plea to stay away Rovers supporters saying he is extremely concerned at falling attendances and the effect on next season ticket sales. WHAT DID HE EXPECT?
When will they useless owners of Blackburn Rovers take a reality check and realise that supporters control football clubs NOT OWNERS, NOT MANAGERS, NOT DIRECTORS AND NOT PLAYERS.
The ultimate last word lies with the club supporters, without them there is no club, as Mrs Anuradha Desai is beginning to fiind out.
If you completely ignore the wishes of your fans time after time you are in the end doomed. The constructive criticism completely justified by supporters at Steve Kean’s management of the club was and is still ignored.
This led to protest’s on a small scale at first, then reaching a crescendo at Ewood Park on December 20th v Bolton, so much so that peaceful protest’s inside the ground were banned. An unprecedented act never before seen or experienced in our British democracy. Not even the mighty Manchester United banned the anti Glazier Brigade, and there are over 50,000 of them.
Steve Kean’s continued employment is now costing Venky’s a small fortune. Apart from his inflated £1.3 Million salary per annum he has now managed to get rid of an estimated 5,000 regular fans equating to possibly £15,000 per game and rising.
Whilst financial director Karen Silk seeks to slash wages by disposing of good players, Kean loses Blackburn money on a daily basis.
When will they ‘penny drop’ with people like Paul Hunt and Anuradha Desai ? we do not like Kean, we do not trust Kean, he has told to many lies, spun to much spin, treated Lancashire folk like idiots and talks utter garbage most of the time. We know a fraud when we see one. May I remind you of just two of Kean’s pre-season quotes, “we will finish in the top half of the table” and “I have a stronger squad of players than last season”.
This website said at the time that this is utter garbage and all we had to look forward to with Kean, was a relegation fight.
More recently he stated, Chris Samba will not be leaving Blackburn Rovers – NO WAY. That is until £12 Million was dangled in front of the Rao family and off went Samba.
Well we have had enough, enough of Kean’s incompetence, enough of Anuradha Desai’s arrogance, enough of been completely ignored, enough of player after player leaving the club, enough of high admission charges for second rate premiership performances. For example my ticket in the Jack Walker stand for the Sunderland game on Tuesday in £32.00 just as it was for the visits of Newcastle, QPR and Aston Villa. The cheapest alternative is £17.00 in the Riverside. I pay for the Jack Walker stand by choice but in these days of recession people in East Lancashire cannot afford to go to football matches of such poor quality as being served up by Kean.
In order to increase support for the last four home games reduce prices as did former chief executive Tom Finn (a true Blackburn supporter) he introduced 3 games for £30.00 at the Darwen End and Kids for a £1. Make the last four games in the Darwen end a £40.00 package and kids for a £1, if you want to survive as a premiership club with strong vocal home support it will have to be done.
Falling attendances, I told you on this website at the end of February and warned what was happening long before Paul Hunt woke up to the fact, and it will get worse believe me.
The key to all your problems Mr Hunt and convey this to your pay masters, is get rid of Steve Kean. Give us a proper manager with proper manager responsibility and control. Otherwise you and us are doomed.
Reg.
www.regoftherovers.c
o.uk
5:32pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Reg Rover says...
Rovers new finance director Mrs Karen Silk cost cutting continues at a pace.
Having cleared the books of high wage earners including Chris Samba, Ryan Nelson, Jason Roberts, Michel Salgardo, Brett Emertton, Vince Grella, and Keith Andrews plus Jonathan Slew out on loan, Ruben Rochina now finds himself her latest victim.
The 20year old is due a pay rise if he plays a certain number of games and his advisors are wondering if this is contributing to Rochina’s lack of game time on the instructions of Mrs Silk, dubbed the iron lady by Ewood staff. As a result Rochina is ready to quit Blackburn.
AND WHO SAID STEVE KEAN PICKED THE TEAM!
Despite Mrs Silk continued cost cutting Myles Anderson, son of Jerome (the man ruined Blackburn Rovers ) Anderson remains on the pay roll with a squad number and premiership contract. EXPLAIN PLEASE.
Reg
Foot Note:
Quote from former Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams when justifying Rovers high wage bill in relation to turn over, “to give yourself half a chance in the premiership you have to pay decent wages.”
Mrs Silk take please take note.
5:36pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Reg Rover says...
The lack of involvement of Blackburn owners Venky’s is such they haven’t been seen at a match since last November and they don’t even bother attending board meetings – SPOOKY!
Reg.
www.regoftherovers.c
o.uk
6:11pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Reg Rover says...
Steve Kean has reinvented himself to such an effect that an National newspaper journalist this week suggested that if Blackburn Rovers avoid relegation Steve Kean should be manager of the year. PLEASE LETS GET REAL!
Rovers plight is of Kean’s making but he has cleverly in the eyes of the media turned himself from villain to victim and Blackburn Rovers supporters into thuggish horrible people. Only someone as devious as Kean could do this. His’ body guard’ statement for example, released for the sympathy vote.
So good is Kean at spin and manipulating the media that he really should be a member of parliament.
The result of Kean’s continued employment and the Venky’s ownership has made Ewood Park a gloomy place to visit, gone is the ambience and joviality it had pre- Kean – Venky’s days. As mentioned by Gary Neville in his Mail on Sunday column.
Not only has Kean take us to the brink of relegation but reduced the crowd by a third. QUITE AN ACHIEIVEMENT.
Manager of the year? YOUR HAVING A LAUGH.
Reg.
6:11pm Thu 22 Mar 12
peely says...
6:12pm Thu 22 Mar 12
Reg Rover says...
Steve Kean has reinvented himself to such an effect that an National newspaper journalist this week suggested that if Blackburn Rovers avoid relegation Steve Kean should be manager of the year. PLEASE LETS GET REAL!
Rovers plight is of Kean’s making but he has cleverly in the eyes of the media turned himself from villain to victim and Blackburn Rovers supporters into thuggish horrible people. Only someone as devious as Kean could do this. His’ body guard’ statement for example, released for the sympathy vote.
So good is Kean at spin and manipulating the media that he really should be a member of parliament.
The result of Kean’s continued employment and the Venky’s ownership has made Ewood Park a gloomy place to visit, gone is the ambience and joviality it had pre- Kean – Venky’s days. As mentioned by Gary Neville in his Mail on Sunday column.
Not only has Kean take us to the brink of relegation but reduced the crowd by a third. QUITE AN ACHIEIVEMENT.
Manager of the year? YOUR HAVING A LAUGH.
Reg.
www.regoftherovers.c
o.uk
11:03pm Thu 22 Mar 12
craftandgraft says...
does any cryer work for Kentaro?
what happened to real investigative journalism?
it's not hard to find out what jerome Anderson has done...and what he is doing to ' our ' club.
why don't you ANDY do a feature on him?
Desmond Dekker.
Ultra International Blackburn Rovers Olympic Rescue.
wez.
sofu ltd.
p.s.
boycott this site.
12:03am Fri 23 Mar 12
Dukes says...
we dont want to go true this again if we stay up.
venkys@kean out
10:02am Fri 23 Mar 12
hastings1066 says...
10:55am Fri 23 Mar 12
tugaycomeback says...
Could the back to back wins not be more accredited to Junior's return to form than Kean's managerial abilities? Or that the players all know they are in a relegation dogfight and are all playing for each other? It is true they seem to be playing for the manager as well, and certainly Kean deserves some credit for two clean sheet wins on the bounce, but then could you argue that its taken him this long to figure out how to pat his head and rub his tummy at the same time??
I definitely don't agree with the comment 'who can say we'd be in a better position with Allardyce?'. The fact is, we were in a much better position with Allardyce, with owners who spent as much money as Venkys..yes, albeit with a proper club structure in place but Allardyce would never have signed Petrovic, Marcus Olsson or Modeste, and BFS would not need the majority of a season to figure out that the best striking partnership we have is Yakubu and Hoillett. For me the recent omission of Rochina raises a big question mark over Kean's judgement. Apart from Hoillett, he has the biggest potential of any player in our squad, but he will only develop if he gets game time now, not relegated back to the reserves.
Credit to Kean for remaining relatively dignified under a torrent of abuse and criticism. It is pleasing to see glimpses of improvement in his management, although the shocking tactial mistakes he's made over the season still massively concern me. Give us another 3 back to back wins and start next season in the opposite fashion to the way this season began, make some smarter summer signings and Kean may genuinely have a claim to not being the worst manager in the league (Terry Connor excepted).