Kean hopes cup win eases pressure

27 October 2011 19:17

Steve Kean hopes Blackburn's stunning Carling Cup victory over Newcastle will have silenced some of his critics.

Kean has had to endure protests from a section of Rovers fans calling for his head, but the style of the 4-3 victory - and the fact it was Newcastle's first defeat of the season - should have eased the pressure on the manager's shoulders.

Kean said: "I hope that silences some of the critics. Anybody who was there last night looking to criticise us would see we took the scalp of a very, very good Newcastle side and we are the first team to beat them this season."

He added: "The team showed massive character - not just for us to have beaten them but the manner in which we beat them. We showed a never-say-die attitude."

Rovers looked home and dry at 2-0 up but Newcastle scored twice in injury-time to send the tie into extra time. It looked odds on that the Magpies would go on to win but Blackburn scored twice more to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

Blackburn's new style is a world away from the pragmatism of the Sam Allardyce days, but Kean insists that is way the club, currently bottom of the Premier League, will progress.

He added: "I would like three or four goals and a clean sheet, being greedy, but the way we play we are always going to score goals and create chances. We have exciting players in the wide areas and we have young dynamic players so we will always create the chances and now we are going to be working our socks off for a clean sheet."

One of those young players, England under-21 international Jason Lowe, has signed a new five-year deal with the club.

The 19-year-old, who plays at either full-back or in central midfield, is now contracted until the summer of 2016. Lowe has become a regular this season for Blackburn and captained England's Under-20 side before breaking into the under-21 ranks.

"I'm delighted with his progress, Stuart Pearce is as well for the under-21s, and I believe he has a long and successful career ahead of him," said Kean.

Source: PA