As a club?
This is a serious and delicate subject so I would like to point out at the start that this is no way aimed as an attack on Steve Kean. My point of view is that as long as we are owned by Venkys, Mr Kean will remain our manager. I may not like that, but in our present predicament I believe I need to be 100% behind the team and making my voice heard about the choice of manager on matchdays, will not be beneficial at this point.
Now that's out the way I can get to the point of this article. Were Rovers as a club irresponsible by playing Givet when they were aware of a problem with his heart?
The below article published on the sky sports website contains selected quotes from Steve Kean from after the Sunderland match where Givet was replaced after 22 minutes due to problems with his heart. I've posted what was printed in full but admittedly Sky may have only taken selected quotes from Kean.
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Blackburn manager Steve Kean substituted Gael Givet under doctor's orders in order to avoid a 'serious situation' after the defender suffered heart palpations in the defeat to Sunderland.
The 30-year-old was substituted in the 22nd minute of his club's eventual 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light amid concerns over his high pulse.
And Kean, who also lost Michel Salgado with suspected fractured ribs and Jason Lowe through concussion, has revealed Givet's heart scare is a problem from the past.
Asked about the former France international, Blackburn's manager said: "He has had it before and he was feeling as if his pulse was pounding out of his neck.
"The doctor said there was a potential that he could collapse, so we had to just get him off.
"He has had it before in the past when his heart goes out of synch and starts to fire at a different time.
"The doctor said we needed to get him off because we could have ended up with a much more serious situation."
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The quote out of that that I have a problem with is "He has had it before". Now my reason for that opening spiel is because, going from that statement, Givet could just as likely been experiencing these problems whilst Sam was in charge and I don't want this taken as an attack on Kean.
But why, as a club, when we knew that Givet had been suffering from heart problems, did we continue to play him?
Irresponsible?
posted on 19/3/12
I think its a case of football is a business and premier safety is a must.The player himself wants to play and the Rovers medical staff must have given the ok.Whether its good or bad it does go on ,injections and god knows what else all in the name of sport.I really think that Rovers would not have played him if they thought there was danger,its only my hunch but I may be wrong.Nice article by the way.
posted on 19/3/12
I don't think The medical staff at any Football club would agree for any player to play if it was a big health risk.
posted on 20/3/12
Difficult to say as we are not medical people and each case has to be looked at on its merits.
Just hope Givet is not knowingly putting his life at stake just for the money (or the love of the game). It can't be remotely natural to have 'neck pulses' presumably linked to physical exertion?
If I was in his position (with money) I would probably jack it all in if there is the remotest danger.
posted on 20/3/12
Didn't he have a minor operation to sort it out after that game? Should still give him another check up after what's happened though.
posted on 20/3/12
It's hard to say where the responsibility lies here. Could any other business get rid of a fat employee due to stairs proving a health risk? On the other hand, has he signed a disclaimer stating the club is not responsible should his health fail.
On a related note, how much would it cost to check for potential issues and is this done as standard?
posted on 20/3/12
Wils I think when Kean reference's to him having it before, that was from his time in France. From memory I don't believe it is something that has occurred in his time at Rovers, but clearly our medical staff are aware of it.
I have a friend who suffers from the same problem, about once a year his heartbeat becomes irregular and he requires some medical attention and to not exert himself, although he is never told he is unable to do any physical activity, just if his heartbeat becomes irregular that he needs to rest and get help.
I would actually applaud our medical staff for activity being consciously aware of Givet's problem and monitoring it from the sidelines, he is perfectly capable of playing, but felt he had an issue so was withdrawn from the pitch.
Personally I see it as no different from players like Gary Mabbut playing his whole career with diabetes, I'm sure in the right circumstances he could easily have collapsed and gone in seizure had he and Spurs not managed his medical situation closely, which they did.
Kean and our medical team are clearly aware of Givet's problem and he will only be on a pitch when it is safe for him to be so, if not, then he is withdrawn or not played.
posted on 20/3/12
McT, not to argue a point but as an insulin dependent diabetic I'd like to confirm there is little correlation between the 2.
Diabetes, though not exactly fun, is pretty easily manageable.
As a somewhat jokey aside, despite the seriousness of my thread, I was diagnosed diabetic about 13 or so years ago. My old fella, in a fit of motivational speaking informed me that Mabbut and Steve Redgrave were diabetic.
With remorse I had to tell him it was unlikely to inspire me on to becoming a professional footballer or 5 time gold medalist!
posted on 21/3/12
Sorry chaps been busy with working and travelling to and fro to Ewood so didn't get a chance to read the responses.
Seems they were all kept good and sensible
Wasn't aware that theproblems were from before he joined us McT, cheers.
Pie, I'm sure I heard/read something saying that it would cost as little as £40 although it was noted that it would be impossible to pick some things up.
posted on 21/3/12
Pie, apologies I don't know the ins and outs of diabetes, but thought it was possible to collapse and go in to seizure, dependent on the type you have and how poorly it has been managed...? Which is unlikely to occur in professional sport.
Wils, I think it was after the Sunderland match that Rovers mentioned it being a long standing issue and he had experienced this irregular heartbeat at Monaco and also Marseille.
posted on 21/3/12
No worries McT, you have a grasp certainly from the second point. It can be somewhat tricky with sport as some of the signs of low sugars are similar to exertion (sweaty, confusion, breathlessness etc).
As you say though, it's likely to be well managed in an athlete and the effects of a seizure aren't immediately life threatening (unless you're atop a cliff) or likely to cause lasting damage...