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Venky’s deny Rovers sale

2012-05-11 11:05:02

Blackburn Rovers owners Venky’s have denied rumours that they are looking to sell the club, and say no-one specific is to blame for the club being relegated

Venky's: Deny everything!

Rovers dropped into the Championship on Monday after losing to Wigan, and fans have placed the blame firmly at the feet of poultry farmers Venky’s and manager Steve Kean, who has come in for massive amounts of stick this season.

But Venkatesh Rao, one of the club’s owners, says fans can criticise whomever they like, but he is not prepared to accept blame for the club’s misfortunes and backs Kean all the way.

Rao said in the Times of India: “We were relegated so naturally they (fans) are going to do that.

“We have to come out of this situation, that’s the most important thing. The fans have the right to do what they want.

“It’s bound to happen when someone loses that somebody criticises. We have to come out of this situation. Nobody is to be blamed.”

Of the sale rumours, he said: “Yes, it is a company of ours and there is nothing whatsoever in (the speculation). These allegations are not correct.”

Kean, whose agent Jerome Anderson persuaded Venky’s to buy the club in the first place, said they were focused on the budget for next season and on keeping some of their top players.

He said: “I don’t know to what extent we will have to cut costs. The budget is still (to) be agreed. That will be a process that happens as quickly as possible.

“I think what we have got to do is assemble a squad and keep the players we can keep. Certainly the young players that are coming through, there is going to be lots of interest because they have done so well.

“We have established players like Paul Robinson and Morten Pedersen that have only played at a high level. I don’t know if there will be other interest, but in conversation with them they are just as devastated as everyone else.

“I have spoken at great length with the owners and that will continue over the next six or seven days. The only objective for the owners and myself is to build a squad, it is as simple as that.”

In another twist in the saga, deputy chief executive Paul Hunt was sacked this week after it was revealed that he had written a letter to Venky’s in December last year, calling for Kean to be fired, as well as other changes to save the club.

Rao denied Hunt had been fired because of the letter’s publication, despite the sacking coming the same day the letter was revealed.

Rao claimed: “It is not sacking because of that. Some staff have to go to bring the budget down, it is nothing to do with it (the letter).”