Kean reacts to Singh comments

16 August 2012 17:17

Blackburn manager Steve Kean has hit back at the club's global adviser Shebby Singh, claiming comments made about himself and midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen have disrupted preparations for the new season.

Singh stated Kean would be dismissed from his post if he lost three consecutive games early on in the season and went on to liken Pedersen to a "pensioner". Singh apologised for his comments earlier this week but that failed to satisfy the Professional Footballers Association, who issued a statement in support of Pedersen on Thursday afternoon.

"I don't really think it was an apology," Kean said. "I think there was an apology that feelings might have been hurt and people might have been rubbed up the wrong way, but I don't really see a retraction being in there."

He added: "So, we'll just move forward. I don't really want to discuss it any longer. I'd rather focus because it's been massively disruptive this week and we just want to get on with the job in hand which is getting prepared for Ipswich.

"It's massively disruptive in a very important, if not the most important week. I think that statement shows how disappointed and unhappy the players are with it.

"Morten has been a fantastic servant. He's probably one of the true gentlemen and it's really affected him."

For his part, it seems Singh - appointed this summer to mediate between Blackburn owner Anuradha Desai and Kean - is unlikely to keep a low profile as he is slated to fulfil radio summarising duties for BCC Radio Lancashire on Saturday.

Irrespective of Singh's comments, Kean was set to begin the forthcoming campaign under significant scrutiny, but he points to summer acquisitions such as Danny Murphy, Nuno Gomes, Dixon Etuhu and Colin Kazim-Richards as evidence of the support he continues to enjoy at boardroom level.

"I've spoken with Mrs Desai at length," he said. "There were some great conversations at the end of last season and she's been very supportive of us building a squad.

"I think everybody wants us to succeed, none more so than me and the players."

Source: PA