Pole wants to show Kean he can be number one keeper (From This Is Lancashire)

Pole wants to show Kean he can be number one keeper

8:22am Monday 10th September 2012 in Sport By Andy Cryer, Blackburn Rovers reporter

NEW Rovers keeper Grzegorz Sandomierski is bidding to put the pressure on in the battle for the number one shirt – after boss Steve Kean warned there would be intense competition for the gloves.

The Polish international arrived at Ewood Park on deadline day on a season-long loan from Genk, after Rovers’ regular reserve stopper Mark Bunn had departed for Norwich City.

Manager Kean insisted Sandomierski has been given rave reviews, despite having not seen him live before signing him, but also warned youth product Jake Kean will be pushing him all the way for a place in the first team squad.

The 21-year-old has been Rovers’ substitute goalkeeper behind Robinson for the opening of the Championship campaign, having impressed on his Premier League debut at Chelsea last season, but Sandomierski is out to challenge the status quo.

Sandomierski said: “I want to make a pressure for every goalkeeper here.

“We cannot forget about other goalkeepers.

“I respect everyone but I will do my best in training and will look to get my position as soon as possible.

“Here the season is very, very long, there are a lot of games and I think maybe I can get my chance here. I will have to work very hard though I know.

“Paul Robinson is a very good keeper. I can learn very much from him, he has a lot of good experience. I will try to learn as much as possible. “

The 23-year-old spent the latter half of last season on loan at Jagiellonia Bialystok in Poland after a frustrating spell at Belgian outfit Genk.

He ended the campaign with a call-up to the Poland Euro 2012 squad and is now fully focused on making the most of his English challenge.

“It was a difficult situation at my last club. I didn’t get the chance and I didn’t have the chance to play,” he said. “I discussed with my manager and we made a decision to look for something different.

“England is the best dream of many, many keepers. Here you can check yourself and I think it is a very good place to grow up and improve. I was every excited and really happy to have the chance to sign the contract at this big club.

“It was a very big experience with Poland. I was with the best Polish players and I saw a European Championships from inside. I think it is a very big kick to myself and my career, it gives me more confidence to work harder and improve my quality.

“Blackburn is a very big club and I think last season it was unlucky. The team has big quality to come back to the Premier League. This team has big, big quality. “

Meanwhile boss Kean believes Sandomierski's arrival leaves Rovers well blessed for goalkeeping talent.

“Jake Kean has impressed us,” said Kean. “He did very well at Chelsea and we would have no concerns about playing him if Paul Robinson picked up an injury or a suspension.

“We also have some very good reports of Greg and Bobby Mimms was impressed with him in the couple of days he spent here before he signed.

“We were disappointed to lose Mark Bunn but he wanted to go to Norwich and we feel we have very good competition for the position now.”