Dann: I'm tougher for nightmare debut year at Blackburn Rovers

in News Photograph of the Author By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

SCOTT Dann believes that Blackburn Rovers’ Premier League nightmare has made him mentally tougher – after admitting he did not feel fit ‘at any stage’ of the last campaign.

Rovers’ big money centre back has made a strong start to the Championship campaign having disappointed for large spells in his first season at the club – as the club dropped out of the top tier.

Ahead of this afternoon’s clash with former club Birmingham City, Dann believes the best of him is yet to come, but admits he is finally feeling more like his old self. Dann missed the last four months of the 2010/11 season for Birmingham after undergoing hamstring surgery and, moving to Ewood for in the region of £6m that summer, he admits he struggled to recover.

He said: “I think from a personal point of view, last season was disappointing for me. I was on the back of a bad injury coming to a new club.

“I wasn’t really fit, I had not played for seven months when I signed here. It took a lot longer to get over the injury than I originally thought. It was disappointing, every time I seemed to get back fit, I had another niggle and it was a bit of a stop start season.

“On the whole I did not perform to the standards I set myself and I think looking back at the end of the season I knew this season, having a full pre-season, I was going to be back to full fitness and that is how I feel.

“I just didn’t feel fit at any stage last season. This year I feel a lot fitter, a lot stronger and a lot more myself.

“As a professional footballer when you get injured some people expect you to come back straight away, but until you have had a bad injury you don't realise how long it does take to get back.

“I still think I have got a lot more to show and improve and I will keep trying to get better and better.

“I would like to think last year has made me mentally stronger. I am the first person after a game to know if I have done well enough, I am a big critic to myself. Last season, more often than not, I was telling myself I should have done better.”

Rovers entertain Birmingham this afternoon looking for their first win under new boss Henning Berg as they look to build on their current sixth place position.

And Dann believes there is still a lot more to come after admitting they are yet to play well this season.

He said: “With everything that has been going with the manager leaving, the season has been a bit stop start and we were all waiting for something to happen.

“Now the new manager has come in, we need to get back to what we all do best and that is getting results on a Saturday and staying as high up the league as we can.

“We would have liked to have picked up a few more points but we haven't really played that well as a whole.

“We have not got any other thought in our minds than promotion.”

* Swindon-based company RFS are expected to become the new sponsors of Ewood Park’s Riverside Stand after holding talks with Rovers, it is understood. The club remain on the look-out for a deal for a shirt sponsor.

Comments (7)

3:12pm Mon 12 Nov 12

MxMave says...

Dann is surely proving himself to be a decent defender. I still think we miss Givet though when he is not fit. Hanley is not quite upto scratch yet, hence why all the fans were telling Kean in summer to SIGN A DEFENDER! I think we still need to do this in the next window as partner for Dann.
Dann is surely proving himself to be a decent defender. I still think we miss Givet though when he is not fit. Hanley is not quite upto scratch yet, hence why all the fans were telling Kean in summer to SIGN A DEFENDER! I think we still need to do this in the next window as partner for Dann. MxMave

6:34pm Mon 12 Nov 12

Joey99 says...

Only one comment? I think a lot of abusive ones will have been removed lol
Only one comment? I think a lot of abusive ones will have been removed lol Joey99

8:42pm Mon 12 Nov 12

Gaz M says...

MxMave wrote:
Dann is surely proving himself to be a decent defender. I still think we miss Givet though when he is not fit. Hanley is not quite upto scratch yet, hence why all the fans were telling Kean in summer to SIGN A DEFENDER! I think we still need to do this in the next window as partner for Dann.
Sorry MxMave but Dann has a way to go yet to convince me he is worth the money we spent on him,
[quote][p][bold]MxMave[/bold] wrote: Dann is surely proving himself to be a decent defender. I still think we miss Givet though when he is not fit. Hanley is not quite upto scratch yet, hence why all the fans were telling Kean in summer to SIGN A DEFENDER! I think we still need to do this in the next window as partner for Dann.[/p][/quote]Sorry MxMave but Dann has a way to go yet to convince me he is worth the money we spent on him, Gaz M

8:57pm Mon 12 Nov 12

PersianRover says...

I am not a fan of Givet (although admire his attitude), he is not very good in the air either. Dann and Hanley to me are the besting paring, but how about the new Portuguese defender? Tall and fast, possibly Dann lacks some pace, and it's Henlys pace over Orr which is helping us play better.
I am not a fan of Givet (although admire his attitude), he is not very good in the air either. Dann and Hanley to me are the besting paring, but how about the new Portuguese defender? Tall and fast, possibly Dann lacks some pace, and it's Henlys pace over Orr which is helping us play better. PersianRover

6:20am Tue 13 Nov 12

MatthewCA says...

I too agree what Mr.Dann say in this article about after surgery, it is difficult to get back into action soon, This season two back passes , is a mistake judgement by a center back. we lost clear 4 points. this is not acceptable form a quality player.

So when we look , he is still getting stronger only, this all article shows that , how fragile was our defence with injuries in the last season, still steve dosen't consider to get a quality defender in the side. pathatic those time.

Hope Two legend players are in the staff bench (Berg and Hendry)to sort out soon. We like to see how the new player Henrique in ground. IF Shabby selected , why he is still not getting a game.

If Dann need some rest, give him(Nuno Henrique) a chance like Adam henley, so the new players can cement there playing time if he is good.

Dann need more stronger in his legs and head too. While attemping the corners, he got only one goal in this blackburn period till now. So his focus should improve to get goals while attempting the corners and he should play a ruthless center back, as a team every one should consider "corners to convert into goals", this area blackburn is very week in the last 10 games.

For a fashion show, I like to see Orr,Dann,Givet,Lowe. what a combination. girls will jumping for chicken dance, best defence in the show lead by Robbo.
Best of luck for next match.
I too agree what Mr.Dann say in this article about after surgery, it is difficult to get back into action soon, This season two back passes , is a mistake judgement by a center back. we lost clear 4 points. this is not acceptable form a quality player. So when we look , he is still getting stronger only, this all article shows that , how fragile was our defence with injuries in the last season, still steve dosen't consider to get a quality defender in the side. pathatic those time. Hope Two legend players are in the staff bench (Berg and Hendry)to sort out soon. We like to see how the new player Henrique in ground. IF Shabby selected , why he is still not getting a game. If Dann need some rest, give him(Nuno Henrique) a chance like Adam henley, so the new players can cement there playing time if he is good. Dann need more stronger in his legs and head too. While attemping the corners, he got only one goal in this blackburn period till now. So his focus should improve to get goals while attempting the corners and he should play a ruthless center back, as a team every one should consider "corners to convert into goals", this area blackburn is very week in the last 10 games. For a fashion show, I like to see Orr,Dann,Givet,Lowe. what a combination. girls will jumping for chicken dance, best defence in the show lead by Robbo. Best of luck for next match. MatthewCA

8:21am Wed 14 Nov 12

OnePostThenTheOther says...

From calamatous when unfit in "the league above" last season to haphazard in the Championship this season: I suppose that is an improvement of sorts.

£6m and this lad can't even marshall a defence to contain a strike force of Zigic and King. He and Hanley still play like strangers. Hit and miss defending of Championship level long ball attacks, the lad looks panic stricken whenever the ball drops on the deck. He should also stop looking to complete for long passes out of defence and give the ball to somebody who can do it. Along with Murphy, Dann sucks pace out of our game.

Venkys had their pants taken down when relegated held out for a £6m deal for an injured player. Hopefully Berg can correct this mistake in January and find a decent replacement for Nelsen and not one that makes Darren Peacock look good.
From calamatous when unfit in "the league above" last season to haphazard in the Championship this season: I suppose that is an improvement of sorts. £6m and this lad can't even marshall a defence to contain a strike force of Zigic and King. He and Hanley still play like strangers. Hit and miss defending of Championship level long ball attacks, the lad looks panic stricken whenever the ball drops on the deck. He should also stop looking to complete for long passes out of defence and give the ball to somebody who can do it. Along with Murphy, Dann sucks pace out of our game. Venkys had their pants taken down when relegated held out for a £6m deal for an injured player. Hopefully Berg can correct this mistake in January and find a decent replacement for Nelsen and not one that makes Darren Peacock look good. OnePostThenTheOther

9:53am Wed 14 Nov 12

greenscreener says...

MatthewCA wrote:
I too agree what Mr.Dann say in this article about after surgery, it is difficult to get back into action soon, This season two back passes , is a mistake judgement by a center back. we lost clear 4 points. this is not acceptable form a quality player.

So when we look , he is still getting stronger only, this all article shows that , how fragile was our defence with injuries in the last season, still steve dosen't consider to get a quality defender in the side. pathatic those time.

Hope Two legend players are in the staff bench (Berg and Hendry)to sort out soon. We like to see how the new player Henrique in ground. IF Shabby selected , why he is still not getting a game.

If Dann need some rest, give him(Nuno Henrique) a chance like Adam henley, so the new players can cement there playing time if he is good.

Dann need more stronger in his legs and head too. While attemping the corners, he got only one goal in this blackburn period till now. So his focus should improve to get goals while attempting the corners and he should play a ruthless center back, as a team every one should consider "corners to convert into goals", this area blackburn is very week in the last 10 games.

For a fashion show, I like to see Orr,Dann,Givet,Lowe. what a combination. girls will jumping for chicken dance, best defence in the show lead by Robbo.
Best of luck for next match.
MatthewCA, I assume english is not your native tongue but I have to ask, do you put your posts through a language translator ?
If so, please get some better software because 'girls will jumping for chicken dance' is the most ridiculous statement i've read since Proudburnleylad last sent us a txt.
If not, then go find your english teacher, sober him up, and slap him over the head.
[quote][p][bold]MatthewCA[/bold] wrote: I too agree what Mr.Dann say in this article about after surgery, it is difficult to get back into action soon, This season two back passes , is a mistake judgement by a center back. we lost clear 4 points. this is not acceptable form a quality player. So when we look , he is still getting stronger only, this all article shows that , how fragile was our defence with injuries in the last season, still steve dosen't consider to get a quality defender in the side. pathatic those time. Hope Two legend players are in the staff bench (Berg and Hendry)to sort out soon. We like to see how the new player Henrique in ground. IF Shabby selected , why he is still not getting a game. If Dann need some rest, give him(Nuno Henrique) a chance like Adam henley, so the new players can cement there playing time if he is good. Dann need more stronger in his legs and head too. While attemping the corners, he got only one goal in this blackburn period till now. So his focus should improve to get goals while attempting the corners and he should play a ruthless center back, as a team every one should consider "corners to convert into goals", this area blackburn is very week in the last 10 games. For a fashion show, I like to see Orr,Dann,Givet,Lowe. what a combination. girls will jumping for chicken dance, best defence in the show lead by Robbo. Best of luck for next match.[/p][/quote]MatthewCA, I assume english is not your native tongue but I have to ask, do you put your posts through a language translator ? If so, please get some better software because 'girls will jumping for chicken dance' is the most ridiculous statement i've read since Proudburnleylad last sent us a txt. If not, then go find your english teacher, sober him up, and slap him over the head. greenscreener

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