Dunn hails Blackburn Rovers team spirit

10:30am Saturday 13th December 2008

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By Andy Cryer »

DAVID Dunn insists the Ewood Park team spirit is the best he has ever known as he looks set to make a shock return from a three-month injury lay-off.

Rovers vice-skipper has been named in the squad for this afternoon’s Lancashire derby at Wigan, after recovering from Achilles surgery, and insists all rumours of dressing room discontent could not be further from the mark.

Dunn revealed a players’ meeting was called post training on Thursday to help ease the pressure on under-fire boss Paul Ince but remains “convinced” Rovers’ fortunes will turn within the month.

The midfielder has been involved in failed relegation battles twice before in his career, at Rovers and Birmingham, but has described the feeling during their current peril as ‘something very different’.

He said: “You can sense a bit of unhappiness around the place when you are in this sort of situation – certainly the times I had something similar at Blackburn and Birmingham.

“I have to say hand on heart you can’t here. It is strange because we are in a difficult place at the minute and we are all desperate for a win, like any club.

“What I can say is though is I have been in this position a couple of times in my career but I have never been in a dressing room where the team spirit is so good as we have here.

“We had a chat between ourselves on Thursday to put down a few pointers and we all know what we have got to do to get out of it.The lads are itching to get out there tomorrow.”

Dunn has not featured for Rovers since the second game of the season against Hull City, having scored in the campaign opener at Everton, after undergoing surgery on an Achilles injury.

A pre-January return had since been targeted but tomorrow’s trip to JJB will prove earlier than most had predicted, with him already showing a determination to help Rovers climb the Premier League.

“Just among the players we had a chat,” he said. “The senior players all felt it would be a good idea. It was nothing major, not a crisis meeting. It was just a chat in the dressing room to get all our heads together and set different goals.

“We want to keep our standards high and make sure we are all pulling together in the same direction. I think it is great. Maybe we should have chats when we get on a winning roll as well to show how far we have come.

“We are all 100 per cent behind the manager. Nellie and Morten said that last week and it is true. I have read bits in the papers and I have found it a bit strange and wondered where it is coming from.

“It was a totally relaxed meeting. But you could tell coming out of it that 'Eye of the Tiger' was there and everybody knew what was needed to get some results.”

Dunn has also backed an under-fire Ince to stay strong under recent heavy criticism, claiming he expects the Rovers boss to soon enjoy a change in fortune.

He said: “The press is a bit harsh at times. From you guys he seems under pressure but he was a big player himself and he can handle the pressure.

“Football now is a big business and there is a lot of money at stake. That is always going to create a lot of pressure but we all know about it.

“I am sure and I am convinced come January we will be saying what is all the fuss about.”