Blackburn Defender Gael Givet has strongly denied that he refused to play for Blackburn Rovers in their recent 3-0 defeat against Swansea City.
Gael Givet Denies He Refused To Play For Blackburn
Blackburn Rovers defender Gael Givet has today strongly denied he refused to play for the club against Swansea City in a statement.
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Earlier in the week, under-fire Rovers boss Steve Kean slammed the Frenchman, stating that Givet’s mind was elsewhere as the club look to secure Premier League survival;
I spoke with Gael and it was very apparent to me that he was not in the right frame of mind to be involved in this game. I said ‘We need you to play today, we need you to start today’ and he was nowhere near in the right frame of mind to do it.
In what appeared to be the second mutiny at Blackburn, after defender Christopher Samba refused to play for the club before eventually signing for Russia's big spending Anzhi, Givet had held a dignified silence while the club dealt with the matter.
Today though, Givet has fired back at Kean, dismissing the Scottish managers suggestions out of hand;
I wish to make it clear that I have never refused to play for Blackburn Rovers. It was just the manager Steve Kean who decided which players would be selected for the match at Swansea.
Clearly this one is set to rumble on and on. Givet hasn't played for the Lancashire side since he was sent off against Arsenal on February 4th, with Kean preferring to stick with Scott Dann and Grant Hanley despite the experienced defender being available.
The last thing Rovers need right now is more turmoil and upset, as fans bay for the blood of the manager and ownership, and continued pressure in the clubs bid to avoid relegation. An experienced head such as Givet could provide them with the necessary nous to avoid the drop, but Kean’s stubbornness could end up being the clubs downfall.
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