Kean accepts risk of keeping Samba at Blackburn Rovers

by Jack Failsworth. Published Wed 01 Feb 2012 14:00, Last updated: 2012-02-01

Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean has admitted he is taking a gamble by blocking the departure of want-away defender Christopher Samba.

Kean is expected to meet the Congo international and tell him he needs to step up to the plate and help the club ensure its Premier League survival.

"It could be seen as being a risk or it could be seen as taking a stance," he said. "If we'd said, 'Yes, OK' we'd have been seen as being soft.

"I don't know if you'd say it's a gamble trying to keep your best players together.

"Would he sit and sulk? He might. You'd better ask Chris that. We put out the statement saying we wanted him to be here and we've stuck by that.

"The way Chris has performed after the last transfer windows have closed have always been of a very high standard so we hope that will continue.

"We want him to get his head round the fact that he's going to be here."