JUNIOR Hoilett admits he is loving life under the Steve Kean regime at Blackburn Rovers as he prepares for talks to extend his Ewood Park stay.
Rovers’ Canadian starlet has flourished since Kean replaced Sam Allardyce as manager in December and has become a key figure in the club’s ambitious plans for the future.
Kean has already indicated he plans to start talks about a new deal with the 20-year-old as soon as possible after seeing him play a major role in helping Rovers survive the Premier League drop.
Hoilett’s current deal runs out next summer and, after a series of explosive performances since the turn of the year, a number of Rovers’ Premier League rivals will have been alerted of his potential.
The Lancashire Telegraph understands Hoilett’s representatives have yet to meet Rovers officials to start discussing his future and talks may have to wait until he returns from a family holiday.
Hoilett was growing increasingly unsettled at Ewood Park during a frustrating first half of the campaign that saw him make just three Premier League starts.
Since Kean’s appointment in December he has become a first team regular, scoring five goals in 14 starts, and is now far more open to a long term Ewood stay than he was previously.
He said: “My time at the club has changed a lot. I am on the field more and I am enjoying my football.
“Of course when you are not playing and don’t know if you are going to come on and get any minute it is frustrating. Of course you get frustrated especially as a young kid you want to play.
“Steve Kean has been great for me, I have enjoyed the experience and I am looking forward to pushing on next season.
“Hopefully we will get something sorted (new contract). Of course I am happy with the club, I am enjoying myself and I am happy here.”
Hoilett, who came through the youth ranks at Ewood Park, scored Rovers’ final goal of the season in Sunday’s stunning 3-2 win over Wolves at Molineux.
The Ewood favourite danced past two Wolves defenders before firing the ball low into the bottom corner to confirm Rovers’ superiority and ensure their place in the top flight.
“It is a great feeling,” he said. “We have been working so hard in training and it showed in this last game of the season.
Everyone worked together, everything trusted each other with the ball and it felt comfortable today.
“I liked playing up front. We worked on it in training and I liked the chance to run in behind. I don’t mind playing anywhere on the field though.
“When we came in 3-0 up at half time the pressure was off us and we went out in the second half to finish off the job, which we did.
“Wolves came out strong and worked hard as a team to reduce our strengths.
"We got the result though, kept the team up and are looking forward to being in the Premier League next season.”
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