Football: Melbourne Victory appoint ex-Blackburn manager Kean as interim head coach

steve kean
In this Feb 22, 2014, file photo, Steve Kean (right), then coach of Brunei's DPMM, watches his team play against Albirex Niigata in an S League match at Jurong East Stadium. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)

MELBOURNE: Melbourne Victory appointed former Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean as their interim head coach until the end of the season on Monday (Apr 19) following the departure of fellow Scot Grant Brebner from the A-League side.

Bottom club Victory parted ways with Brebner after Saturday's 7-0 thrashing by Melbourne City. Kean, 53, had joined as Brebner's assistant in the off-season.

"Kean will be stepping into the interim head coach role, with the support of Jean Paul de Marigny as the interim assistant coach, for the remainder of this season," club chairman Anthony Di Pietro said in a statement.

"Our expectation for the remainder of the season is that the players will play with the determination and commitment that our club is accustomed to. We'll update members and fans on a permanent head coach solution once this is confirmed."

Kean was appointed Blackburn interim manager after the sacking of Sam Allardyce in 2010 before taking over permanently later that year. He left his role in 2012 with Blackburn third in the Championship, before a stint with Brunei DPMM.

Source: Reuters/kg