http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/8977914.Kalinic_told_to_stay_focused_on_Blackburn_Rovers__fight_for_survival/
Kalinic told to stay focused on Blackburn Rovers' fight for survival
11:00am Saturday 16th April 2011
OUT-of-favour
striker Nikola Kalinic has been told to ignore any external unsettling
influences after being assured he still has a Blackburn Rovers future.
The
Croatian striker has admitted he is unhappy at being left out of
manager Steve Kean’s plans in recent weeks and called for answers about
his situation.
Kalinic left Ewood Park before Saturday’s 1-1 draw
with Birmingham City after being told he was not on the substitutes
bench, but Kean is adamant he remains in his plans.
The Rovers
boss has insisted Kalinic is likely to be involved for today’s trip to
Everton, having not featured in any of the last four Premier League
games, but warns he needs to be focused on Rovers’ relegation fight.
The
Lancashire Telegraph understand Rovers have spent a lot of time in
their attempts to help Kalinic settle into life in England, but have
grown increasingly frustrated at the response.
The striker’s
English is still limited, despite being at the club for almost two
years, making it difficult for him to fully integrate with the rest of
the squad.
It is understood several Premier League clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur,
have been alerted over his potential availability by sources close to
Kalinic, and Rovers want him to focus solely on the job in hand.
Kean
said: “Myself and John Jensen sat with Niko and had 45 minutes with him
and went through certain aspects of his game. I haven’t read what has
been said by him but we feel when he goes away on international duty, he
comes back a little bit unsettled.
“We are trying to say focus
on when you are here. Niko is under contract, we want him to stay, we
want him to keep playing, and a well focused and well trained Niko
Kalinic is certainly what we want in the squad. But he has to be focused
and in the form we know he can produce.
“He is a good finisher
but any rumours from other countries always seem to be off the back of
him coming back from international duty.
“That is the pattern and
we have spoken to him about that. We have said ‘is there any chance you
could possibly speak to your advisors and every single time you come
back not to be linked with four or five clubs.”
Kalinic has
struggled to establish himself as a regular Rovers starter since
arriving in England for L6million from Hajduk Split in 2009.
He
remains the club’s top scorer in the league this season with five goals
and Kean has called for him to make sure he is ready to take his chance
when it comes along.
The Rovers boss said: “He has been unfortunate to fall off the bench in recent weeks because Benjani has done so well.
“Everyone
is disappointed when they are not playing but what you have to do then
is think ‘if I am, coming on as a sub. I have to make an impact.
“If you don’t manage to make the bench that is the difficult part.
"We
have lots of people available and it is a case of whoever looks the
sharpest, that is the people who get on the pitch for that particular
game.
“If they are disappointed there is a way to react. I am not saying he has thrown his toys out of the pram, far from it.
"What
we need to do is make sure he doesn’t then think I will speak to my
agent and get a move at the end of the season and listen to any of the
stuff that could unsettle him.
“He needs to get his head down and keep working away.
"There is a very good chance of him being involved.
"If he shows he is sharp and ready to play he will be involved.”
