[Archived] Paul Ince

[patrickvalery]

I don't want BFS near the club. Part of me says yeah, he can give us the fight to stay up. The other much bigger and wider looking part says what would he do afterwards? Would we start looking like Notlob and lumping balls up like yesterdays godawful display? Would our books like like a comedy sketch like Boltons? Would we see a proliferation of overpaid 'experts' in everything from aromatherapy to sports science? Where would our better players end up? That to me is why BFS is not the answer. I'm not calling for Ince's head yet because I honestly think he should be given a little more time to turn this mess around. Not much more though and patience is running out.

Sorry to quote from a post some way back.

But to me this sums up our predicament. If we went for the 'safe' Sam option (or anyone else who could save us with ugly football) then what next? Even if they stay and make us succesful, comparable to Hughes' reign then they will ultimately leave. And when they do we will be back to where we were when Ince was appointed. We needed to make an appointment who was going to look to play more attractive football. Unfortunately due to a number of reasons we have not been succesful in doing so.

1) Ince has a stubborn nature beyond comprehension. His desire to stamp his style on the squad was not planned, it was knee jerk. He expected to do this with a bunch of players used to Hughes' style. Its ok to want a side to play good football, but more often than not this needs to be done over a longer period of time.

2)I'm not sure Ince knows how to impliment this style. As a player he was more about determination than flair. This might just save him in the long run. If he can get across some of that determination he had to the squad we might be ok.

3) The board felt the quality in the squad would be enough to allow Ince time to cut his teeth. This is obviously not the case. We have looked distinctly average all year and this only goes to prove how good Hughes was.

I honestly cannot see a clear answer to all this. Stick with Ince and hope for the best or bite the bullet and go for someone else. We are not a club who can afford to suffer relegation again.

What i will say is i saw Kenny Dalglish a few weeks ago on Goals On Sunday. I know the chances are minimal, but it just got me dreaming. King Kenny wouldn't half lift the place. Before its said i know i'm living in dream land.

[bazza]

I am now about to vote. I've read this thread all the way through before voting.

My first instinct was to vote Sack. But as yesterday's debacle started sliding into the past I was halfway to voting for Grooby.

Now with a clearer head I am going to vote Back.

Because:- anyone, even Ince, must be given longer than 4 months;

the league table is a farce at present and shouldn't be looked at again until February;

something David Mails Tight Perm said in another thread about Ince's interest in the youth team and wanting them to play football rather than hoof it and hope (as the first team are currently doing; obviously against the wishes of Ince).

I must admit I'm worried about the fitness levels and training methods. We seem to be back to the Souness days.

However we must stick with Ince. We must give him our complete support as long as he is our manager. It's the least we can do for our beloved club.

[Blue n White Rover]

First time i'm posting since the humiliating defeat on Saturday. To be honest i've been willing to give Incey his chance, I wasn't over the moon when he was appointed nor was I gutted. First 5-10 games from what I saw we played better football and although we didn't get the results we just needed that bit of luck, which we didn't have. However, the past 4 games have proved to me it was a bad choice. West Brom, Boro and Sunderland are games we expect 3 points from, the least we could have expected was 7 points from 9, but here we are getting only 2 points from the 3 games. We were simply awful in the second half, only when Tugay came on there was a bit more compsure, better passages of play and we then pinned Sunderland back in their own half. Ince has to put Warnock back at left back. Get Pedersen out the team, get Roberts a taxi and bring qulaity into the team. We've heard this all before but to be honest without the ageing Tugay and Roque, we have no quality in the side. We need urgency, we need pace and we need wingers!

This January will make or break our season. If the gaps in the team aren't filled with real quality then Burnley here we come. I'm worried. Ince has a big Xmas period ahead of him and if we don't pick up points fast then JW has to hold his hands up and say he's made the wrong choice, and sack Ince. The question is who would want to takeover a club with minimum resources, battling for survival and could be on the verge of losing their best player/s. Big Sam? Who knows?

This mess needs sorting out and Spurs won't be a walk in the park. Those 11 players out there need to go and show that they're worthy of putting that blue n white shirt on. We NEED 3 points, anything less and it's an uphill struggle. The other worrying sign is that the teams above us are picking up results and starting to slowly pull away from us.

Worrying times, but all the best to Ince, he's got a very very tough job on his hands!!

[Amo]

I see Ince is still putting all the responsibility on the players. Never the Guvnor's fault is it?

[neekoy]

But apparently we are not in that bad shape because we are only 2 points from 12th, wasn't that long ago we were only two points from 4th and the slide down the ladder is a concern. Watching what I watched the other day I can honestly say, if we can't beat Sunderland at home then I can't see us winning another match, through our own qualities, this season.

Sure we may win the odd one through luck or the other teams complete ineptitude but the squad is not showing any quality and just seems to be getting worse week in week out.

Hopefully Jw is holding out until Hughes gets the sack and welcomes him back with open arms.

[bazza]

What i will say is i saw Kenny Dalglish a few weeks ago on Goals On Sunday. I know the chances are minimal, but it just got me dreaming. King Kenny wouldn't half lift the place. Before its said i know i'm living in dream land.

Kenny will only cut it again if he has a number two with the vision and flare of Ray Harford.

Kenny cannot do it on his own.

[tony gale's mic]

But apparently we are not in that bad shape because we are only 2 points from 12th, wasn't that long ago we were only two points from 4th and the slide down the ladder is a concern. Watching what I watched the other day I can honestly say, if we can't beat Sunderland at home then I can't see us winning another match, through our own qualities, this season.

Sure we may win the odd one through luck or the other teams complete ineptitude but the squad is not showing any quality and just seems to be getting worse week in week out.

Hopefully Jw is holding out until Hughes gets the sack and welcomes him back with open arms.

Hell will freeze over before Hughes rejoins. I'd love to see it happen but Hughes wouldnt come back and I doubt JW would welcome it either.

[ABBEY]

Kenny will only cut it again if he has a number two with the vision and flare of Ray Harford.

Kenny cannot do it on his own.

big col or shearer working with him.

[tony gale's mic]

Please let's not start the Shearer nonsense up again. Maybe as a backroom staff member, I could even see the assistant manager thing possibly but let's have no one saying he should manage us.

[patrickvalery]

Please let's not start the Shearer nonsense up again. Maybe as a backroom staff member, I could even see the assistant manager thing possibly but let's have no one saying he should manage us.

Apologies. Thats my Kenny nonsense which has opened that can of worms. Just got me dreaming. Sat on that sofa in his lovely tourquoise v-neck. Ooooh what a man!

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Hughes wouldn't come back after all that sh!te he spouted about taking us as far as he could.

[EwoodGlory]

Kenny will only cut it again if he has a number two with the vision and flare of Ray Harford.

Kenny cannot do it on his own.

Kenny was ready to take over Newcastle and agreed everything with the club, until Ashley met Kinnear on a night out and offered it to him instead.

It wasn't made up by the tabloids, he said he wasn't given a good enough chance at Newcastle the first time and wanted another go.

[Parsonblue]

I dont think it will be an issue. We are pioneers in that we are the first PL to have hired a Black English manager. If he fails it is because of his flaws not because he is white/black, etc.

I don't regard us as pioneers in that we are the first PL club to have a hired a Black English manager. I know that John Williams would have appointed Paul Ince because he believed him to be the best man for the job and not because of the colour of his skin. I'm not sure why you attach such importance to colour - ability and character are what got him the job and if he leaves it will be because of his inability to achieve what he set out to achieve. As I said before, I will travel to the next two away games hoping he turns it around but sooner or later decisions will have to be taken if results continue to go against us.

It is a myth to assume that because we are Blackburn Rovers we don't swap managers when the need arises. May I remind you that Jim Iley was sacked after far fewer games than Ince. In 1970-71, Eddie Quigley was shunted from manager to a more junior role in October to allow Johnny Carey to take over. In more recent times Jack Walker ditched Don Mackay after a handful of games in 1991-92 and then parted company with Roy Hodgson just 14 games into the 1998-99 season. We are like any other club in that respect. Football is a results driven industry and if the results are poor the manager usually pays the price with his job.

[tony gale's mic]

Apologies. Thats my Kenny nonsense which has opened that can of worms. Just got me dreaming. Sat on that sofa in his lovely tourquoise v-neck. Ooooh what a man!

I'd rather have his daughter...although maybe not in a managerial capacity..

[patrickvalery]

I'd rather have his daughter...although maybe not in a managerial capacity..

I take one for the team from Kenny if it would get him back here!

[Eddie]

But apparently we are not in that bad shape because we are only 2 points from 12th, wasn't that long ago we were only two points from 4th and the slide down the ladder is a concern. Watching what I watched the other day I can honestly say, if we can't beat Sunderland at home then I can't see us winning another match, through our own qualities, this season.

Sure we may win the odd one through luck or the other teams complete ineptitude but the squad is not showing any quality and just seems to be getting worse week in week out.

Care to put a little wager on that?

[rog of the rovers]

Id like to put on money on that as well Eddie.

What utter nonsense!!

[jim mk2]

In more recent times Jack Walker parted company with Roy Hodgson just 14 games into the 1998-99 season.

Walker acted quickly to stem that particular malaise and I suspect he would have done the same after Saturday's debacle.

Ince has 2 games in my opinion from which Rovers must glean one win or a minimum of 2 draws.

If they do not, Williams has to act : not to do so would be a dereliction of duty.

[Tris]

Seeing as we've got two identical topics running, I'm going to post two identical posts on the identical topics.

The second half yesterday was totally unacceptable, comfortably the low point of the season to date.

And that's where my head is on the matter - that has to be THE lowest point or it is game over. For me, Ince is on a rolling final warning of one game. Not 3, not 5, but next Sunday against Spurs.

There, we need to see a total reversal of attitude and application from the players, a performance to be proud of AND a result. I don't care that some will be away until Friday on international duty, that excuse has been exhausted. Spurs are still below us in the table, and a defeat there would be the final straw for me.

If Ince can pull that one off, then he deserves a crack at Portsmouth the following weekend, and if the signs remain good then the Quarter Final at Old Trafford and the Liverpool home game as well. Ewood will be a hell of a lot happier on December 6th if those three away games bring in 6 points and a cup Semi Final place.

The "back or sack" poll is revealing, running as it is at approx 60% v 30%. I'd have guessed at 95% v 5% given the weight of posting against the manager, although having said that, it's still the same vocal stuck records who never wanted Ince in the first place who are still making all the noise on here. It seems many readers ignore the crap, but it clearly snowballs as the vultures feed off each others glee at being the biggest Ince critics.

From the unsubstantiated rumours to the open trolling by 2 or 3 prats who break the rules every time they post on here - the groundswell of anti-Ince sentiment on this MB has been a disgrace on what is a SUPPORTERS site - to the extent that I understand it is no longer respected as a barometer of fans views in circles where we would like to think it should be.

One abysmal 45 minute spell of football has diminished my opinion of Paul Ince but I will continue to dismiss all the rubbish which is being bandied around as fact on here. My feelings on the matter will hinge on what happens on the pitch at WHL next Sunday, and I will repeat what I started with - ATTITUDE, PERFORMANCE and RESULT. Nothing less will do.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Seeing as we've got two identical topics running, I'm going to post two identical posts on the identical topics.

The second half yesterday was totally unacceptable, comfortably the low point of the season to date.

And that's where my head is on the matter - that has to be THE lowest point or it is game over. For me, Ince is on a rolling final warning of one game. Not 3, not 5, but next Sunday against Spurs.

There, we need to see a total reversal of attitude and application from the players, a performance to be proud of AND a result. I don't care that some will be away until Friday on international duty, that excuse has been exhausted. Spurs are still below us in the table, and a defeat there would be the final straw for me.

If Ince can pull that one off, then he deserves a crack at Portsmouth the following weekend, and if the signs remain good then the Quarter Final at Old Trafford and the Liverpool home game as well. Ewood will be a hell of a lot happier on December 6th if those three away games bring in 6 points and a cup Semi Final place.

The "back or sack" poll is revealing, running as it is at approx 60% v 30%. I'd have guessed at 95% v 5% given the weight of posting against the manager, although having said that, it's still the same vocal stuck records who never wanted Ince in the first place who are still making all the noise on here. It seems many readers ignore the crap, but it clearly snowballs as the vultures feed off each others glee at being the biggest Ince critics.

From the unsubstantiated rumours to the open trolling by 2 or 3 prats who break the rules every time they post on here - the groundswell of anti-Ince sentiment on this MB has been a disgrace on what is a SUPPORTERS site - to the extent that I understand it is no longer respected as a barometer of fans views in circles where we would like to think it should be.

One abysmal 45 minute spell of football has diminished my opinion of Paul Ince but I will continue to dismiss all the rubbish which is being bandied around as fact on here. My feelings on the matter will hinge on what happens on the pitch at WHL next Sunday, and I will repeat what I started with - ATTITUDE, PERFORMANCE and RESULT. Nothing less will do.

What a daft post - have you read the thread? An abysmal start to the season has caused many to question if Ince can rescue the club from a relegation fight. It's not more complex than that.

[RibbleValleyRover]

We can't afford to go down it’s as simple as that.

We don't have the resources we once had in order to guarantee our way back if the worst should happen. I envisage something similar to what happened to Leeds and Forest, clubs who made the drop and couldn't bounce back.

John Williams has to decide whether or not we can win a relegation dogfight (if it comes to that) under Ince. It’s a decision that is out of our hands, all we can do is wait and see what unfolds.

[Tris]

What a daft post - have you read the thread? An abysmal start to the season has caused many to question if Ince can rescue the club from a relegation fight.

What's daft about saying that the time to find out, is the next game after the worst 45 mins of the season to date?

I knew you were stupid but I did think you could actually read.

[EDIT]

Can you actually remember what you yourself posted on this thread yesterday?

I guess he'll get three more games to get some points on the board. Which is fair.

[MI ROVER]

Its not so much Ince who is the problem its the muppets he surrounds himself with which just shouts out 3rd division. How can mathias with a distinguished top level career with the likes of Tranmere / Wigan (when they were poor) and Chester have any respect with the likes of benni / rogue etc.

Whilst I was firmly in the BFS camp I hoped Ince could turn early season promise into something more substantial or at least mid table mediocrity not a dire relegation battle. I can't see us getting any points out of the next 3 games thus approaching christmas firmly rooted to the bottom and we all know the stat regarding bottom of the table on christmas day !!

We cannot afford to go down season ticket sales would be below 10,000. Incey while you have chance wake up and smell the coffee and fire your understudies and put somebody like Tugay as your assistant

[Torgeir]

Continuity is the key, it's too early to sack Ince now. He now knows where the squad needs strengthening, and it's up to the board to back him with the necessary funds to attract top talent in the January window. If things haven't improved much by March and we're stilling struggling in the bottom then the situation should be reassessed. I wasn't too pro Ince before the got the job but he's here now and deserves a fair crack at the whip.

[Kremmin]

Agree with most of the sentiments here.

The second half against Blunderland was diabolical and we have been on a downward spiral since Newcastle.

There are a lot of clubs down with us and there'll probably be six or so scrapping it out until the bitter end ... all the more reason to act sooner rather than later.

No-one was excited by the players he brought in and it's starting to translate into failure on the pitch.

The fact that our defence remains basically the same as the Hughes era yet is leaking like a colander reflects poorly on the manager.

Ince and the squad deserve a chance to atone for last week's debacle.

I'd give him one, maybe two more games to secure a minimum of three points ... then BANG.