Fans turned on owners Venky’s and Kean but the defiant boss said: “I believe
I’ll be here next season.
"I will sit down with the owners and discuss a plan on how to assemble a
squad to help us bounce back straight away.
“I believe I’m the man to take us back up. We live to fight another day but
it’s a great setback.
“We’ll regroup, add some established players and if we can hold on to all our
players then, like West Ham who are in the play-off final, we can bounce
back.
“It’s difficult to put in words what the atmosphere is like inside the
dressing room. They’re absolutely devastated.”
Antolin Alcaraz struck with a header on 87 minutes to seal another great
escape for Wigan to dump Rovers into the Championship with Wolves.
Angry fans ran on to the pitch to protest and midfielder David Dunn tried to
calm them down as their 11-year top-flight stay came to an end.
Rovers had needed to win their final two games to stand any chance of staying
up but again produced a tame display.
Yet Kean said: “I felt we gave it a real go. I can’t fault the players’
effort.”
In contrast to Blackburn’s despair, there were joyous scenes among Wigan’s
3,000 fans.
Latics have won six of their last eight matches to seal another season of
Premier League football.
Boss Roberto Martinez said: “It doesn’t seem real yet. With what this means
it’s incredible — a remarkable achievement.
“One game to go and we’re in the Premier League for an eighth year. It’s a
great feeling.”
Wigan owner Dave Whelan, who spent most of his playing career at Ewood Park,
said:
“I’m really sorry we put Rovers down. But Roberto has proved he is a
quality manager.”
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