Blackburn global advisor Shebby Singh pleads for patience from fans regarding manager search

Blackburn global advisor Shebby Singh has pleaded for patience from fans over the club's protracted search for a new manager.

Steve Kean resigned to end his troubled reign at Ewood Park on the eve of last month's 1-1 draw at Charlton and a host of high-profile names were immediately linked with the job.

Caretaker boss Eric Black will search for his first win in charge at the fifth time of asking against Sheffield Wednesday in the npower Championship tonight and Singh, overseeing the recruitment process on behalf of owners Venky's, insists he will not be rushed into an appointment as Rovers look for an instant return to the top flight.

"It has been a very, very difficult three weeks - difficult in that we have to make a quick decision but, at the same time, we cannot rush into making such a decision because of recent history," he told Blackburn Rovers TV on the club's official website, http://www.rovers.co.uk.

"That means taking time and, yes, I do understand that we need to make an appointment but it cannot just be any appointment because obviously after what happened we've got to tread very, very carefully.

"I would like to appeal to the fans; do not react to what you read in the papers or what is rumours - do not react to that.

"I am taking everybody's emotions into consideration. The fans have been through difficult times and the last thing I want is to put fans through more anguish.

"So give me more time now, rather than all of us rush into a decision and we all suffer together."

Reaction to reported rejected approaches for Tim Sherwood and Billy McKinlay have not been overly positive among Blackburn's fanbase.

The former Rovers midfielders are coaches with Tottenham and Fulham respectively but are managerial novices, prompting parallels to be drawn with Kean's credentials upon his full-time appointment in January 2011.

Singh is committed to examining a wide range of options and retains a keen internest in "next big thing" candidates of Sherwood and McKinlay's ilk.

"It has been (more difficult that expected) simply because we try to look at football from different angles," he explained.

"You've got three different types of potential candidates. One is the young, untried, next big thing - dynamic, forward-thinking candidate.

"Then you have the bitter-sweet group - they have had a little bit of success here, a little bit of success there and they have tasted both sides of football.

"In the third category you get the wise old head. So while we know what a wise old head can bring, while we know what the bitter-sweet group can give you, we cannot just brush aside the potential, the possibility of something that can happen."

PA