Indian owners will not sell Blackburn
Reuters - Thursday 10 May 2012, 16:07
Indian owners Venky's will not
sell relegated Blackburn Rovers and they sacked deputy chief
executive Paul Hunt to cut costs, the poultry company said on
Thursday.
"It is a company of ours and there is nothing whatsoever (in
rumours of a sale). These allegations are not correct," the
company's joint managing director Venkateshwara Rao told Times
Now channel.
Speculation that Hunt had been dismissed because of a letter
he wrote calling on Venky's to sack manager Steve Kean in
December was untrue, Rao said.
"The sacking was not because of that," Rao added. "Some
staff have to be... you know... to keep the budget down. Nothing
to do with it."
Blackburn were relegated from the Premier League following a
1-0 defeat by Wigan Athletic on Monday after a tumultuous season
marred by fan protests prompted by the club's lack of success
and unpopular moves by the owners who completed a $37-million
takeover in November 2010.
Hunt's dismissal was confirmed after the letter, written
when Blackburn fell to the bottom of the Premier League, was
made public.
His departure adds to the sense of unease at Rovers who have
lost their place among the elite for the first time in 11
years.
Rao shrugged off criticism of the owners from club
supporters, saying: "Fans have the right to do whatever they
want.
"It's bound to happen when somebody loses...We have to come
out of this situation. Nobody is to be blamed."