Wednesday 6th August 2008
Comment: Ince will be first to go
A ball’s not been kicked in anger, yet espnstar.com are ready to make tough calls in this season’s Barclays Premier League.
By Dez Corkhill
Paul Ince’ recruitment as manager of Blackburn Rovers is a decision that this usually well-run club will regret. Such was the clamour to acclaim Blackburn’s integrity in selecting the first British black manager in English top flight history that Ince’ appointment wasn’t properly scrutinized. Blackburn will rue the day.
True, Paul Ince has done well as manager at both Macclesfield Town and, particularly, Milton Keynes Dons, and true also that he’d had a stellar playing-career with West Ham, Man United, Inter Milan, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolves, Swindon Town and England. It’s also the case that, once upon a time, “serving your time” in the lower Leagues was a good way to prepare yourself for management at the top level, but it was never a guarantee for success. In these days of multi-million dollar deals and player-power, the intricacies of managing at Premier League level are a world apart from Milton Keynes. His tough-guy stance may work at the lower levels, but not at the top level.
The thirty-nine year old always had a confrontational edge to him. It was an edge that once caused Sir Alex Ferguson to describe him as a “big-time Charlie” - before releasing him to Inter Milan ahead of the 1995-96 season. That reputation never left him. The self-styled “Guvnor” seemed to rather enjoy the infamy of his nickname.
It seems Ince still has that edge to him. The first indications that not all was rosy behind the scenes at Ewood Park came when the affable Brad Friedel, who’d been the first to support his appointment, found himself on his way to Aston Villa. Strong management? Or ostracizing one of the rocks of Blackburn’s recent success?
Any manager needs to make his mark when he goes to a Club, and Ince went into a situation where the likes of David Bentley and Roque Santa Cruz were highly sought after by other teams. Bentley has already gone, and Santa Cruz’ departure seems only a matter of time. Ince’s response has hardly impressed. Despite the appointment of the experienced Archie Knox as his assistant manager and the arrival of Paul Robinson and highly-rated Chilean International Carlos Villanueva, already there’s talk of dressing room disquiet. The mood around Ewood Park is suspiciously like the one at Bolton at the start of last year when Sammy Lee replaced Sam Allardyce, and changed too much, too quickly and Bolton so-nearly suffered the ultimate consequence of relegation.
Blackburn fans should be scared. The days of Mark Hughes and European qualification are of an old era. With Ince they have an inexperienced coach, going into a club vulnerable to its best players being poached, and appointed for the wrong reasons. Paul Ince will be the first to get the managerial sack this year. Blackburn may rue this decision all the way to the Championship.
Who’ll end up where:
20: Stoke City; 19: Blackburn Rovers; 18: Hull City; 17: Bolton Wanderers; 16: Fulham; 15: WBA; 14: Wigan Athletic; 13: Middlesbrough; 12: West Ham Utd.; 11: Portsmouth; 10: Everton; 9: Sunderland; 8: Manchester City; 7: Newcastle Utd.; 6: Aston Villa; 5: Arsenal; 4: Tottenham Hotspur; 3: Manchester United; 2: Liverpool; 1: Chelsea
The Barclays Premier League kicks off on 16 August 2008. Get your live scores, updates and match reports here on espnstar.com
