Kean: Picking Parker may backfire

Kean: Picking Parker may backfire

Published May. 5, 2011 3:16 p.m. ET

Parker, the football writers' Footballer of the Year, has been struggling with an Achilles problem but is desperate to help the bottom club against Rovers. Kean however claims such a move could backfire on the Hammers. He said: "It depends how fit he is. Sometimes if a player is not 100% fit and all of a sudden has to go off that can have a psychological effect on the rest of the team. "That was one of the factors we felt about Junior Hoilett over the last few games. If he starts and he's not quite right and you have to take him off after 10 minutes then people can say 'oh no, the potential talisman is not on the pitch'." Victory for Rovers will put them on 41 points and should assure them of safety and Kean cannot see any reason why they should not triumph in London. He added: "We do not fear these games - we are looking forward to going and getting points because we are playing well. "I think it will be an open game, I think they will come and try and score in the first 15 minutes and will try and get at us. I don't expect them to be cagey but to try to get the ball up front and try to get the crowd on their side." Blackburn will give late fitness tests to Hoilett, David Dunn and Michel Salgado and Kean has predicted at least two of the trio will be available for Saturday.

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