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Samba ready to quit following Allardyce sacking

Chris Samba has been left bemused by the departure of Sam Allardyce © PA Photos

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Blackburn captain Chris Samba has revealed he wants to leave the club following the shock sacking of Sam Allardyce.

Allardyce was axed by Rovers' new owners despite leading the club to the relative safety of mid-table this season, having previously rescued them from potential relegation. The former Bolton and Newcastle manager has since hinted that he was knifed in the back by somebody behind the scenes at Ewood Park.

Steve Kean will be officially announced as Allardyce's successor on Wednesday, having had a meeting with Blackburn's owners in India. However, despite claims that the first-team coach is a popular figure with the Rovers players, Samba insists he wants no part of what is going on at Ewood Park.

"If this is the way the club's going to be run from now on, I don't want to be part of it and I want to leave," Samba was quoted as saying in The Sun.

"As captain it's very difficult to say this but I've thought long and hard about it. Nobody in football understands the decision to sack Sam.

"I'm sure Mr Williams would not have made this decision. He's a football man and respects what a great job Sam has done. We could have been relegated last year and Sam saved the club, so how can he be treated like this now?"

Samba pulled no punches when assessing the strategy of the new owners, insisting it is unforgivable to endanger the club's ability to buy in the January transfer window by creating such disharmony.

"The players and fans need answers about the club's future," he said. "Unless we commit to who the manager is, how can we attract big players in January?"

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.