Venky's 'disappointed' by Kean exit

28 September 2012 21:48

Blackburn owners Venky's are "very disappointed" Steve Kean has resigned as Blackburn manager, according to the club's managing director Derek Shaw.

Kean walked away from his post at Ewood Park after 21 months on Friday evening, claiming in a statement that he had been "forced" out as his position had become "untenable".

Shaw said: "I have spoken with Anuradha Desai (the club owner) and she is very disappointed as she was close with Steve. Owing to time differences, I don't have anything else."

He went on: "Steve has, after a great deal of thought, resigned. It was completely unexpected. He travelled down with the team ahead of our game at Charlton tomorrow, but he must have been giving it an awful lot of thought owing to the pressure he's been under."

Kean's decision came at the end of a week which has seen more intense speculation that the axe was set to fall on the 44-year-old Scot, who has been a much-derided figure throughout his time in charge of the club. He oversaw their relegation to the npower Championship in May, which only inflamed the tensions between manager and supporters.

Despite terrace unrest, though, the Venky's remained faithfully loyal to Kean, giving him two contract extensions after handing him Sam Allardyce's job, as well as backing him heavily in the transfer market.

On Kean's claim that he was forced to stand down, Shaw added: "I can't comment on that. He's decided tonight to call it a day, and the thoughts on why are with Steve."

Kean, whose assistant Eric Black will take the team at Charlton, caught his club on the hop when he released a statement through his lawyers at 7pm on Friday.

At a time when Rovers' official website was carrying a story of Kean talking of a positive week, he said: "For reasons that I cannot discuss on legal advice, it is with deep regret, given my hard work and service for the club for a number of years, that I have been forced to resign as manager of Blackburn Rovers Football Club with immediate effect, due to my position as team manager becoming untenable.

"I wish to thank all the players and coaching staff for their great support and the majority of the fans, who now see their club heading towards an automatic promotion position back to the Premiership. I wish the club all the very best for the future."

Source: PA