Kean ignores Blackburn fans´ protests

Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean refused to push the panic button after watching his side fall to another defeat against Tottenham.

After the 2-1 loss at Ewood Park which leaves their side rock bottom of the Premier League, fans staged a sit-in protest against the manager but he brushed off any speculation about his future.

“I don’t know if it’s a large section of the crowd and to be fair I’m not really paying any attention to anyone who’s staying behind,” Kean told reporters.

“I’m interested in my players and what they give me.”

The majority of the supporters are with us, the performance of the players shows were all together as a group, I’ve got full backing from the owners and we’ll grind through it.”

Kean has only won six league games since taking over at Rovers in December 2010 but he called for patience and hoped the way his side played in the defeat on Sunday would give the fans some hope.

“I think the crowd should stick with us because of the manner of the way we played,” he added.

“I’ve said to the lads that sometimes you get runs in games, you get runs of consecutive games where you don’t get everything you should get but they can pat themselves on the back because they’ve given everything today and if we keep doing that we’ll get much more than we did today.”

Meanwhile, Harry Redknapp backed Kean to overcome his critics.

“The fans have got to stick with (Kean),” Redknapp said.

“They just needed a break today and they could’ve come away with a good result.”

“Keep getting behind the team and supporting the manager, when things are not going well that’s when you need the fans with you but I thought the crowd got with them today but there’s a few, a small minority, mostly kids I’d imagine, shouting and screaming but it’s them who always make the most noise.”

“The players couldn’t have given more for the manager than they have given today.”

“(The fans) are demonstrating out there but the players have given everything today. They never gave up, they kept running and working and trying to get that ball back to the last whistle.”

“If he’d lost the dressing room they wouldn’t have played like they did today. I think it’s unfair, they’ve got to keep getting behind their team and they’ll turn it round. I think they’ll climb out but it’s going to be tight at the bottom as well.”

Redknapp agreed his side were fortunate to win.

“It was a tough game today, when we went one up we looked like we were in control and could go two up but when they scored suddenly they came on and they didn’t give up. The last 20 minutes or so it was real backs to the wall stuff for us,” he added.

“I said to players we couldn’t give free kicks and throw-ins away, because every restart that’s what they do, they’re dangerous. (Chris) Samba comes up, they throw it in your box, they’ve got three or four big lads and they give it him and he heads every ball.”