Steve Kean 'forced to resign' at Blackburn Rovers
Manager says position became 'untenable', despite Rovers lying third in Championship
Steve Kean has quit as Blackburn Rovers manager, saying he'd been "forced to resign" due to his position becoming "untenable".
The Scot had faced constant criticism from Rovers fans throughout his two-year spell in charge at Ewood Park after the club's owners Venky's, an Indian poultry firm, brought him in to replace the experienced Sam Allardyce. Kean carried on despite the club's relegation from the English Premier League in May.
Yet despite Rovers currently lying a promising third in the second-tier Championship, Kean walked out of the club ahead of last night's match away to Charlton. "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 with immediate effect, due to my position as team manager becoming untenable," Kean said.
Before this season started the 44-year-old faced fresh pressure when Rovers' Malaysian global adviser Shebby Singh said Kean would be sacked if the team lost three successive games.
As things stand, however, Rovers have just lost once in seven league games this term - a 2-1 home defeat by Middlesbrough on September 21.
Kean's position was further undermined by press reports this week that Tim Sherwood, Rovers captain when they won the Premier League title in 1995, would take over from him as manager.