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Givet hits back at Kean

Blackburn Rovers defender Gael Givet has hit back at claims he refused to play in last weekend’s clash at Swansea City.

Following the 3-0 defeat, Blackburn’s fifth consecutive reverse, manager Steve Kean claimed Givet was not in the right frame of mind to line up at the Liberty Stadium.

Kean said at the time: “I said: ‘We need you to play today’. (But) he was nowhere near in the right frame of mind to do it.

“I can’t get inside somebody’s head – I can only say how much we and his team-mates need him.”

The Blackburn boss insisted he would prefer to keep the conversation between the pair private.

Givet, who joined the club from Marseille in January 2009, moved to assure the Rovers faithful that he is not looking for a route out of Lancashire.

“I wish to make it clear that I have never refused to play for Blackburn Rovers,” said the Frenchman.

“It was just the manager, Steve Kean, who decided which players would be selected for the match at Swansea.”

The centre-half has not featured for Blackburn since he saw red in the 7-1 defeat at Arsenal on February 4. Since Givet’s dismissal at Emirates Stadium, Kean has preferred Grant Hanley and Scott Dann at the heart of his defence.

Kean got an immediate response – with Blackburn winning three of their next five games – but his side’s survival bid has come off the rails since the 2-0 home victory over Sunderland on March 20.

Givet would provide experience at the back during a difficult period, but a resolution between manager and player does not appear to be forthcoming.

Rovers sit 19th in the Premier League, three points from safety with only four games remaining. Betfred odds have Blackburn all but nailed on to be relegated and those looking to bet on Premier League games will see that Rovers have incredibly high odds.