Source: Daily_Mail
Blackburn's young Rovers will help them out of trouble, insists boss Steve Kean
Blackburn boss Steve Kean believes it is the bravery of his young players which will play a big part in helping the club stave off relegation despite stretching their recent run to eight games without a win.[LNB]Rovers' 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham means Kean's men have not won since January 23 and only favourable results elsewhere allowed them to maintain a gap between themselves and the bottom three.[LNB]But Kean maintains the future is bright with three of his young players - goalscorer Junior Hoilett, midfielder Phil Jones and defender Martin Olsson once again proving their Barclays Premier League class.[LNB] After school club: David Hoilett is one of several youngsters to be impressing at Blackburn this season[LNB]Kean said: 'We've got some great young guys who don't really know what fear is and they just want to get on the ball and express themselves. Junior has certainly shown all the makings of a top-class player.'[LNB]Hoilett was the Rovers star in a gutsy first half and drew the home side level in first half injury time when he pounced on an awful error by Liam Ridgewell to burst clear and round Blues keeper Ben Foster.[LNB]Pure delight: Rovers boss Steve Kean knows he still has a tough job ahead of him[LNB]Rovers' equaliser was particularly frustrating for Blues boss Alex McLeish - whose side remain locked together with Blackburn on 35 points - after they had worked hard to nudge in front through Lee Bowyer.[LNB]But McLeish was equally defiant after the game, insisting: 'We'll go back to St Andrew's next week for another cup final. If we perform and apply ourselves to the same level, I've got to be confident about this team.'[LNB]For both sides the point came at a price with a series of new injury concerns. Kean will have one eye on the treatment room this week after Hoilett, Santa Cruz and Ryan Nelsen all went off injured.[LNB]Kean added: '(Junior) could feel his hamstring tightening and you've got to look at the games coming up. If it's tight that's the body saying it's going to go, so you have to pull him off as a precaution.[LNB]'Ryan has had fluid drained off his knee and he could feel it playing up. We need to get it iced and drained and let it settle down and hopefully he will be available for the Everton game.'[LNB]McLeish hailed the impact of defender Curtis Davies who came on to replace Johnson, whom McLeish refused to allow to continue after appearing 'groggy' following his injury.[LNB] In the red and feeling blue: Lee Bowyer's equaliser kept Birmingham out the relegation zone[LNB]'Curtis has had a difficult introduction to this team but he came through it with flying colours,' said McLeish. 'It is always a difficult occasion when you lose one of your centre-halves.[LNB]'We already have lots of injuries so we can ill afford to lose players like Roger. But I hope the character of the players today gees up the players on the treatment table to come back and help our cause.'[LNB] The lowdown on the closest relegation battle in Premier League historyBlackburn 1 Birmingham 1: It's Hoilett to the rescue for RoversRookie Blackburn boss Kean turns to his four wise men in safety bidAll the latest Blackburn news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Ryan Nelsen, Martin Olsson, Lee Bowyer, Ben Foster, Alex McLeish, Liam Ridgewell Places: Birmingham
