Debate: does Paul Ince know what he is doing?

Ben Smith

Paul Ince is clearly feeling the pressure of life in the top-flight. If Blackburn’s supporters had just about stomached their team’s dreadful start to the season, last night's 5-3 defeat at Old Trafford changed all that.

The cries of “You don’t know what you’re doing” rang out around Old Trafford from Blackburn’s small army of fans and tellingly the former MK Dons boss refused to appear for the press conference after the game.

To make matters worse Liverpool, the Barclays Premier League leaders, visit Ewood Park on Saturday, one fears what kind of reception the beleaguered manager may get if Blackburn are embarrassed again.

Ince has complained that, without investment in January, Blackburn will be in for “a struggle”, but is the manager the one to blame for the club's woes? Has it just been a case of too much too soon for someone many thought to be one of English football's brightest managerial prospects?

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Comments

[Antony Glaser]

The fire seems to not be running consistently through the veins of the players, but they literally are the same squad as lost year. If I was a Manager,and didn't have the assured funds, I would be in a difficult place. Mark Hughes is a hard act to follow, but losing Bentley seems a big price to now be paying

[BenG]

Can't say I've seen much of Rovers play, but looks like what was once a pretty parsimonious defense is worryingly leaky. There seem to be injuries about- which was a worry with Souness's regime, seems to be lack of rigour after Sparky and afraid that's down to the manager. A promotion too early and while we should encourage young managers I don't think the Premier League is a forgiving environment to learn form your mistakes.

[BABYVON]

It's basically like a chef from McDonald's being hired as a head chef in a michelin star restaurant. Makes no sense!!! He is NOT up to the job.
And as for not giving him enough time...4 months of losses is a lifetime in football years!

[DR]

Good point Dave about Ince. At the time of his appointment, he was querying the need to have all his coaching badges. Maybe now he understands how they can help him. Ideally he'd have had another 2 or 3 years in the lower divisions before taking the step up.

[Dave]

I do think that Paul Ince will be a great manager in time but he needs more experience and I think he needs to do his coaching badges, training and education always help. This was a job that was too soon for him and this is showing.

[DR]

Ince, like Keane needs to be a little less intense. Needs to relax his players and give them the confidence to play and they'll be ok. Everybody is so impatient with managers that guys who should be the future are walking out/being hounded out.

As an Arsenal fan, I have more respect for the likes of Ince and Keane than for Alan Shearer hiding away on the BBC sofa. As a black man, I hope and pray Ince makes it, to convince the likes of Les Ferdinand and Andy Cole feel they have a chance to make it.

[ted]

Ridiculous comments by Nic r.e. John Barnes-he is an awful manager-don't you remember his time 'helping' Newcastle as well?
As for Ince, I think it's been a big step up and he should have got more experience before taking on such a job (easy to say in hindsight I know). Not even talking about tactics, but when he needs to buy players, what's his scouting system/network like, who are his contacts? The same people who got players for the MK Dons? That's not going to work is it.
Having said that, Ince has lost Bentley and Friedel (Robinson is an ok replacement), and the owners were crazy to try him, but then if they sold those two, it implies that they're trying to do everything on the cheap. Allardyce for Blackburn-he would have been made for it-a battling side with a physical approach sounds a bit like Bolton doesn't it.

[SuesieG]

Ah, I love the Brits. Such is your culture that anyone who shows a bit passion, willingness to capitalize on opportunities, and succeeds where they've been expected fail, must be shot down and put back into their place IMMEDIATELY. The football industry and their moronic short-sighted fans are a perfect example of this.

Since when is a three month spell (as in Ince's case) considered an acceptable time frame for someone, in any job, to prove their worth as a successful?

When I see your negative comments, I will think of all of you English supporters, who continue to complain about the lack of available good English managers.
Coaches are made - they are not born. You have a group of up and coming young managers (all who came through your system, played for your clubs, and were in their respective national teams) and given the time they need to develop, they will eventually deliver.

I hope Ince is given the opportunity to continue, but if he does leave Blackburn (whose fans are starting to emulate those at Newcastle deluded with "big club and nothing to show" mentality) - I hope he continues to follow the route of other successful managers such as Ferguson, Wenger, Benitez, Mourinho, and even for you Blackburn fans, the saintly Mark Hughes - who have all exprienced the irate ramblings of disgruntled fans, poor results, being fired, but continued to perservere, learned from every single experience, and have gone on to become excellent managers.

[Chris Clare]

Nik - in the stupidity stakes, that is on a par with anything I've ever read.

"if he gets sacked then my relationship with football will be over. As being a black caribbean seeing a black british manager being sacked for the fans not relating to him"

Football can well do without such narrow mindedness, thank you.

[Paul]

NIK! If he was Mexican could he not be sacked for fear of upsetting Mexicans?
When he gets sacked, and he will, it will be because he can not manage Blackbur Rovers in the top flight. He is a pathetic manager. Race does not even come in to it. I feel sorry for you as you feel that you will not follow football anymore if a black manager is sacked! He is managing a football club, he is not Malcolm X. Get over yourself.

[John]

I knew Ince wasn't suitable when he first joined. His right hand man is Ray Graydon who has extensive lower league experience and helped immensely at Macclesfield and then MK Dons. What grates me is the arrogance of people like Ince and the foolhardiness of club chairman to appoint marquee names, how many quality experienced managers are there in the lower leagues who will struggle for a chance to manager a premier league club?

[Chris DP]

Oh Nik PLEASE!!!

it's not about us not relating to his colour!! For crying out loud, look at our form.

Look at how basically the same squad of players looks compared to last season.

Presumably you'd wish us to go down so he can have his chance?

[Ken Foss]

yes he knows what hes doing... this is just moronic this was a team that was in my relegation tussell since the start of the season, no money no teeth in the defense, and they sell there best players (Freidel and Bentley) and, they expect him to do what exactly? that team is the financial equivalent to Derby County for christ sakes.

Blackburn fans are a selling club, same as West Ham and Portsmouth. So expect ebbs and flows, and yes even relegation tussles its the nature of the beast.

Now to the board... don't higher an inexperienced manager if your not willing to pay the piper the first year. what you should have been hoping for was to niche relegation this season anyway.

.I'm sick of boards who talk out of both sides of there mouths.. we want to win, and sell all our best players. Just shut up!

[Kevin]

Nick - do not talk nonsense. Are you really saying that race was an issue with John Barnes at Celtic?

He spent millions on players who were never good enough for the First team such as Rafael and Berkovic. Celtic paid £10m in transfer fees and £7.5m in wages to those players.

He lost to Inverness who were two divisons below Celtic at that time and was 21 points behind Rangers in the league when sacked.

Ince has taken Blackburn into the relegation zone and the performances have been terrible.

Paul Ince has also taken it upon himself to comment on the tactics and team selections by the Celtic and England managers. I remember a certain "men against boys" comment.

To date, he hasn't proved he is fit for the job. It is nothing to do with "relating to the fans" or his race. To imply it is, or he (or Barnes previously) should keep their jobs as "token" managers from Ethnic communities is idiotic.

[Will]

The way things are going if he stays he'll be turning up at Stadium MK again next year. Now that will be a reception worth seeing. He went too soon; Give him his due, he did well at MK and got away with it last year but at this level you get punished far more often. Still I hope he does OK where ever he ends up.

[lindsay matcham]

no he doesnt-he has about the same squad hughes had (albeit with out bentley)-yet he says he needs more signings-saw he was mouthing off the other day about being england manager one day-he was the same as a player-called himseld the guvnor-the guy needs a reality check

[T Carter]

he went after the money and glamour, and is now paying the price. he's inexperienced and should of stayed in the lower league and cut his teeth more. I expect him to be sacked very soon.

Also I don't particularly think he's conducted himself with aplomb during his tenure at rovers...fights in the tunnels...falling out with other team coaches...not the best first year in the prem as a manager is it. talk about keeping your head down and getting on with it.

[Josh Dickson]

He's only been there four or five months! Unbelieveable! I literally cannot believe the pressure put on managers now; the press at first criticise it but now happily encourage it.

[Nik]

I think Paul Ince should be given time as I know fans have a right to voice their opinion especially now as there is a credit crunch but it was that same short termism that caused the credit crisis in the world, and short termism in football is just not healthy.

Im a Villa fan but I think if he gets sacked then my relationship with football will be over. As being a black caribbean seeing a black british manager being sacked for the fans not relating to him. This will be a shame as it will not allow other Blacks or Asians for that matter to progress in the top leagues in respects to football management Look how long it took John Barnes to get another job as a top manager, now managing my country (Jamaica). Look at Keith Alexander did well with Lincoln but never got anywhere near the championship let alone a prem job.

Football needs diversity if it wants to suceed as many of the fans abroad buy merchendise (especially the Caribbean and africa) if they find that theres no opportunity for diversity the international fanbase economy for football may suffer.

[Paul]

Give the guy some bloody time!! It's his first premiership mangaerial job.

Look at Southgate, given time, backing and is now showing signs of becoming a really good manager.

[Peter Jones]

Ince did a good job at Milton Keynes, however there is a huge gulf between them and the Premier League, Rovers should have held out for a manager with Premier league, or at least Championship, experience. Ince could have done with a few more years experience in the lower leagues. IF (and it's a big if) he is kept on at Blackburn, it looks like he'll experience Championship football next season !

[Savio]

sorry he does not have a clue unless he's gone before Jan. would not trust him with any money in January and will be playing the clarets next year

[Danny]

No - this is too much of a step up for Incey. He's got talent and is still a prospect. But Blackburn is too much of an ask - and the pressure is getting to him - big style. Need an old head to step forward and steady the ship a la Redknapp at Spurs, Hodgson at Fulham - etc etc.

[SMW]

Men against boys. How prophetic.

[Davis]

The man doesnt seem to know his own players strengths and continues to play them out of position. One up front also does not work and playing defensively will not win games. Fitness also seems to have gone out of the window.