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Kean: Blackburn ´forfeited´ Cup match

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 30 Nov 2011

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Blackburn boss Steve Kean made the shocking revelation that his side had ‘forfeited’ their Carling Cup quarter-final with Cardiff on Tuesday.

Rovers were defeated 2-0 by the Championship outfit as the Bluebirds moved into the last four of the tournament.

Kean, who made five changes from the side that lost 3-1 at Blackburn on Saturday, admitted afterwards that he had not taken the game seriously, with more important matches on the agenda.

Blackburn currently sit last on the Premier League table and have winnable games against Swansea City, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Bolton all before Christmas.

“We are in a position where we have forfeited going through and having the chance to reach a cup final,” Kean said.

“We have games against sides within touching distance of us in the league. We need to treat those games as cup finals.”

Defenders Christopher Samba, Martin Olsson and Michel Salgado were all rested, despite Kean suggesting that they could have played if Saturday’s match against Swansea was not as important.

“They could have played at a push and if we had been in a slightly different position in the league,” Kean said.

“We have Swansea coming up so I made five changes and left those lads behind. We wanted to make sure we have those lads available for Saturday. Saturday has to kick-start our season.”

Rovers fans continued to protest against Kean throughout the match, with ‘Kean Out’ songs ringing out from the away end once again.

But the manager has re-iterated that the fans’ disapproval does not bother him, before issuing a rallying call.

“It’s never nice when the fans are negative but, when you are focused on the game, it’s something you put to the back of your mind. It doesn’t affect me,” he said.

“We all want the same things. We all want the club to win the game. The fans are frustrated but we all need to stick together.”

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