SAM Allardyce insists Vince Grella could still be an important player for Blackburn Rovers - if he can put his injury nightmare firmly in the past.

The tough-tackling midfielder has struggled to make any impact in his two Premier League years at Ewood Park due to a series of niggling injuries, and Allardyce admits the club can’t afford for it to continue much longer.

The Rovers boss has confirmed they were willing to listen to Galatasaray’s recent interest but, after the potential move broke down, is now looking for Grella to come good in England.

Allardyce said: “There was some interest from Galatasaray but that appears to have drifted away.

"I think Lucas Neill and Harry Kewell played for that club and asked their coach to have a look.

“I am happy for him to stay on but I think for him and for us if the move had have been okay it would have been good for both of us.

"Vince has yet to establish himself in the Premier League unfortunately due to injuries - nothing else.

“We know he is good enough. But he hasn’t managed to over come the niggles and the strains that have cost him the time that we need him to be playing.

“We know when he plays he is good enough but now we need to get him available enough and play as often as he would like and we would like.”

Galatasaray and Rovers had agreed a £2million price tag for the man who Paul Ince brought to Ewood for four million euros two summers ago.

The move broke down though after Grella was unable to agree personal terms with the Turkish outfit and, unless more interest comes in for him, will be returning to East Lancashire for pre season.

“This Galatasaray thing would have suited both of us but if he stays with us hopefully he won’t have the same problems he has had over the last two seasons,” said Allardyce.

“He has shown he can be a big player when he plays but unfortunately the glimpses we have seen have been over two seasons now.

"One season we could understand it was a difficult period of moving from Italy to the Premier League.

“Michel Salgado played for Real Madrid for 10 years and it took him until mid November to find out what it is all about.

"Vince was starting to do that and then another thigh muscle becomes another hamstring, becomes another calf.

“When we looked at the record unfortunately he had the lowest starts of our first team squad and that was the reason why we were listening to offers.

"We know what the player is capable of but we haven’t been able to keep him on the pitch as long as we wanted.”