Steve Kean offered an unlikely olive branch to a growing number of detractors after his Blackburn team sank to the bottom of the Premier League. He refused to dismiss the prospect of a meeting with those whose emotions plumbed new depths in the Potteries. The most consistent thing about Blackburn over 90 minutes on Saturday was the vitriol from the stands towards the manager and the club's owners.
"When I am required, I will always go and meet people from any section of the crowd. I will take that into consideration and take direction from the directors of the club," said Kean, whose deteriorating relationship with Blackburn fans meant he had to be escorted to the tunnel by two security guards after an eighth defeat in 13 top-flight matches.
Unity is unlikely but with matches against Swansea, Sunderland, West Brom and Bolton before Christmas, the next month will prove critical. With a paltry return of seven points so far, some would argue that the damage has already been done, although Kean said survival remains achievable. "No team will get relegated this week and no team will win the championship this week," he said. "The stats can turn around. Plenty of teams who have been in a more difficult position have put runs together. You do that by continuing to make chances and score goals, and very simply get clean sheets."
Blackburn's last one of those was 20 games ago, against Bolton in April, while of equal concern will have been that Stoke, hardly a team renowned for keeping the ball, enjoyed 56% of possession. All too often, the visitors broke promisingly only for them to flunk an attempted killer pass.
In Rubén Rochina, a Spanish matador in the Juan Mata mould, and Junior Hoilett they had threats on either flank but Rochina's virtuoso 25-yard finish, Blackburn's first-ever goal at the Britannia, was no more than a consolation.
Stoke, with their own wingers Matthew Etherington and Jermaine Pennant providing the piercing arrows, took full advantage of the absence of experienced centre-backs Ryan Nelsen and Christopher Samba. Most notably so when Rory Delap's glancing header diverted in Pennant's exquisite free-kick. Second-half goals from Glenn Whelan and Peter Crouch only served to intensify the ire displayed towards Kean and Venky's.
This win – only a second in nine domestic matches – could be the turning of the corner for a Stoke team struggling to cope with the expanded match schedule provided by a Europa League campaign. They will progress from Group Four by avoiding defeat when Dynamo Kyiv visit on Thursday.
"Not many of us have experienced it before, the atmosphere around the place is amazing, but the Premier League is our bread and butter, so we needed to sort that out," Delap said. "The fans have every right to voice their opinions but they really do stick with us here."
