The beleaguered Blackburn boss seems to be in an impossible situation, not entirely of his own making. For a start, it was not his idea for Venky’s to buy the club. They don’t seem to be particularly aware of its financial problems either. This is a team with huge financial difficulties and a major cash flow issue. Relegation could be calamitous. Last year they had to sell Phil Jones to keep the debt repayments up to date.
And Blackburn haven’t played that badly in a lot of games this season. Against West Brom at the weekend they were beaten by two goals which few teams would have been able to stop. But the spirit is gone and the fans are against Kean. It is an impossible situation for him to deal with; for the club now, Kean’s presence is harming them as the players know they won’t be blamed for poor results. What is now needed is someone like Mark Hughes. Bringing him in would ensure the players have nowhere to hide, and will be the focus of the fans’ ire if they continue to struggle.
Unfortunately, things are so bad that others may have already taken the blame for their relegation if they do go down. Alan Shearer is another touted for the job and he took on Newcastle in similar circumstances a few years ago. He took the job there knowing he’d get all the credit for avoiding relegation, but none of the blame if they went down, which they did. The same goes for any Blackburn manager appointed now. This is something of a self-perpetuating cycle.
Somehow the responsibility for the situation is being passed around like a hot potato, and the owners will soon have to take charge. They are holding the club and its assets, and can be dragged down easily by the mess. Blackburn need something entirely new and radical. One idea would be a fire sale of the first team squad in January, and bringing in a host of promising talented youngsters on lower wages. This would appease the banks, and ensure that if relegated, the club are in a position to deal with it. It would also mean that Kean could forge a relationship and bond with new players who can become loyal to him for giving them a chance.
But also crucial is to send a message to fans. We talk of player power in the modern day but fan power is crucial too. Players and managers need to know that the fans’ ire will not result in them losing their jobs. This message must be sent, as if it is not, players and managers will continue to be restrained by fear. This is not healthy for any club, and the support must be made clear that whilst their voice is important, that it will not hold Blackburn hostage. For Venky’s, this is the big challenge.
