[Archived] Paul Ince

[T4E]

the club was sinking under Hughes

Cmon Hughesy - do you honestly believe that?

[RevidgeBlue]

The next move will be to blame posters on here for Ince's shortcomings.

It's not a case of blaming Ince's shortcomings on any critics, but it can't make the job any easier when a substantial section of fans have written him off before a ball is even kicked and are not prepared to give him a chance.

[Hughesy]

Cmon Hughesy - do you honestly believe that?

100% on my life I believe that.

Some of our performances last year were awful. I know many fans who stopped going after last seasons woeful performances. Yes we finished 7th, yes we were 1 place off Europe, but we were very lucky to be there. We were dreadful in so many games and got more than our share of 'lady luck'.

Add to that the loss of Bentley & Freidel then its obvious what was going to happen. Both players informed the club, prior to the Birmingham game that they wanted to move on (Prior to Hughes leaving), so he had a fair Idea how tough it was going to be to continue finishing so high.

[Ray-Von]

Cmon Hughesy - do you honestly believe that?

Maybe not sinking, but the squad needed some serious investment (particularly midfield) to keep things ticking over. I think Hughes knew this and he couldn't keep pulling rabbits out of hats with the tight purse strings of the Board/Trustees.

[CrazyIvan]

Thats exactly what is coming, as soon as he gets the bullet.

The warning signs have been there from the start, those of us that saw them have been the targets for abuse the levels of which I've not seen on this messageboard before this Summer. As the fears have slowly but surely been proven correct, rather than accepting apologies it now seems as though we'll be told to shoulder the blame.

We've regressed 4 years in 4 months. Simple as that.

I'm sorry but this is the worst posts you have ever posted. There have at least been intelligent arguments from you supporting your views the majority of the time but this isn't one of those. Abuse? From whom? And who has said you should shoulder the blame for someone elses shortcomings? You'd made your mind up the moment Ince arrived without giving the guy a chance to prove himself one way or the other. That is unforgivable and wrong. People have pointed out that you should give someone a chance before judging them. I have and so have a number of others.

You won't be getting an apology from me if Ince fails. No doubt you'll gloat and say 'I told you so' but you made a judgement on the basis of nothing in particular before the season had even started.

I love the use of the words 'it seems' when NOBODY has said anything of the sort and nobody actually will. A suggestion from Den you take a make your own. Nice. Talk about trolling!

[gumboots]

I certainly don't think this messageboard or booing fans or anything like that can be blamed if Ince is sacked. What I do think is that the negativity surrounding the appointment of the manager and the generally negative atmosphere created at Ewood cannot be helping anyone, players or management, to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Too many fans seemed to not want to give Ince any chance at all. I'm concerned and worried about our situation and do seriously think that if our board were not considering Ince's position and wondering how much longer they can afford to give him then they'd be neglectful of their duty, but i really hope that it can be turned round and that Ince can not only keep us up but take us on further. I would love him, now more than ever, to prove wrong those who decided he was the wrong man for our job from day 1.

[T4E]

100% on my life I believe that.

Some of our performances last year were awful. I know many fans who stopped going after last seasons woeful performances. Yes we finished 7th, yes we were 1 place off Europe, but we were very lucky to be there. We were dreadful in so many games and got more than our share of 'lady luck'.

Add to that the loss of Bentley & Freidel then its obvious what was going to happen. Both players informed the club, prior to the Birmingham game that they wanted to move on (Prior to Hughes leaving), so he had a fair Idea how tough it was going to be to continue finishing so high.

I don't disagree with most of what you'e said there mate, just that you stated it so strongly. We were nowhere near sinking - we were at a crossroads no doubt and the Summer was going to be a big one acquisition wise, but all signs pointed to Hughes being capable of being able to strengthen. There was definitely no suggestion of a relegation battle this year under Hughes.

[Roost]

If we stuff Spurs 4-0? Are you on drugs? Get a grip man, we're in the @#/? and Ince isn't capable of getting us out of it. These lads don't go from top 7 to relegation material unless something's wrong.....The ship needs steadying and Big Sam is the man.

Someone needs to hide the key to the medecine cabinet from you, coming out with comments like that...................

Big (ego) Sam is not and never shall be good enough to manage BRFC, and neither is Curbishley. Both like to play extraordinarly dull football - perhaps why both of them are out of work.

[boris bear]

I certainly don't think this messageboard or booing fans or anything like that can be blamed if Ince is sacked. What I do think is that the negativity surrounding the appointment of the manager and the generally negative atmosphere created at Ewood cannot be helping anyone, players or management, to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Too many fans seemed to not want to give Ince any chance at all. I'm concerned and worried about our situation and do seriously think that if our board were not considering Ince's position and wondering how much longer they can afford to give him then they'd be neglectful of their duty, but i really hope that it can be turned round and that Ince can not only keep us up but take us on further. I would love him, now more than ever, to prove wrong those who decided he was the wrong man for our job from day 1.

I agree 100%. Too many people decided right at the outset that they did not like Paul Ince, I have heard the most ridiculous criticism of him from people who obviously had no intention of giving him a chance. I too hope that he can turn things round but the longer our poor form continues the harder the task becomes. I really don't know how much longer he can be given if we don't start picking up points and I do hope that the board are prepared if the worst does happen.

[Exiled in Toronto]

I don't disagree with most of what you'e said there mate, just that you stated it so strongly. We were nowhere near sinking - we were at a crossroads no doubt and the Summer was going to be a big one acquisition wise, but all signs pointed to Hughes being capable of being able to strengthen. There was definitely no suggestion of a relegation battle this year under Hughes.

Why do you think he was so desperate to leave from Xmas onwards?

I think it more than likely he saw that the Hughes brandname would suffer by association if he stuck around any longer, not unlike the timing of his leaving the Wales job. Personally, I'll back Hughes's judgement on this issue.

[Majiball]

We went ten games without a win from the start of the 1996/1997 season which saw Ray Harford sacked and Tony Parkes rescue us in his greatest-ever moment for the club.

At least we're close to breaking it now!

If I was Roque, I too would leave if BFS or Curbishley was brought in. Im sorry but Big Sam is not the long term answer.

Lets give Ince 2 more games to show us abit of light at the end of the tunnel, if he doesnt, THEN he has to go. But to be replaced by who? My choice would be Avram Grant.

Completely agree about big fat sam. Completely disagree about grant my granny could have guided that Chelsea team to what he did. Its no shock given that there's been quite a merry go round in Europe this year with managers that he still on job seekers.

[T4E]

EiT - Agreed again - he was after the Newcastle job and we could all see it. My opinion is that he didn't feel he could carry on making that silk purse and knew this Summer was a time when he would have to do that on a large scale. We weren't sinking though, and none of us were worried about being relegated.

[Majiball]

I don't disagree with most of what you'e said there mate, just that you stated it so strongly. We were nowhere near sinking - we were at a crossroads no doubt and the Summer was going to be a big one acquisition wise, but all signs pointed to Hughes being capable of being able to strengthen. There was definitely no suggestion of a relegation battle this year under Hughes.

I don't think we would have been bottom three, but in the same breath we would not have been pushing for europe. Hughes saw the signs, we where shocking at times last year (and this year), however Hughes had a nack of still getting results, he would have been seriously tested this year. Hughes would have replaced Bentley, or even slapped some sense into him.

[Hughesy]

Completely agree about big fat sam. Completely disagree about grant my granny could have guided that Chelsea team to what he did. Its no shock given that there's been quite a merry go round in Europe this year with managers that he still on job seekers.

Why didnt Mourinho win it then? He had more or less the same squad and is supposedly a better manager. Answers on a postcard please...

T4E - Not saying relagation this season, but I was worried that we would not be able to make a serious crack at the top 10, with the likes of Villa, Everton, City, Spurs & Sunderland all spending lots of money. I honestly thought under Hughes we had started to go backwards, like we did with Souness.

[den]

I agree 100%. Too many people decided right at the outset that they did not like Paul Ince,

A lot of people thought Paul Ince wasn't the man to manage rovers. Would you like to comment on that? Wouldn't you say that was nearer the truth than simply "not liking" him?

[Majiball]

Why didnt Mourinho win it then? He had more or less the same squad and is supposedly a better manager. Answers on a postcard please...

Do you not think last year at Chelsea was more down to the players? Grant changed nothing, same Chelsea as Morinho. We all know why Jose didn't win it, shocking ref decision involving Liverpool. DB summed it for me when he said sometimes you have to wonder why they are still unemployed, is Mourinho?. Grant did not manage Chelsea he maintained them, he has to go down as the first new manager in history to not change a thing when he took over.

[broadsword]

It was only a small number who weren't keen on Ince before he started.

However, this number's grown considerably as the season's moved on.

[T4E]

A lot of people thought Paul Ince wasn't the man to manage rovers. Would you like to comment on that? Wouldn't you say that was nearer the truth than simply "not liking" him?

Exactly. For about the 300th time, it had nothing to do with not liking Ince. He was doing and saying things from the early days that were of great concern to some people, and the rest of it went from there. There may be one or two that decided they didn't like him from day 1, but the majority of his detractors had reasons that were stated at the time and still there for all to see.

[CrazyIvan]

Exactly. For about the 300th time, it had nothing to do with not liking Ince. He was doing and saying things from the early days that were of great concern to some people, and the rest of it went from there. There may be one or two that decided they didn't like him from day 1, but the majority of his detractors had reasons that were stated at the time and still there for all to see.

Do you like Ince T4E? Have you ever liked him? Did you give him a chance to show you what he could actually do as manager or did you buy in to the rumours and gossip? You were saying that Brad left because of Ince even though there was NO evidence to the contrary and Brad came out and said that leaving Rovers had absolutely nothing to do with Ince. Why did you persist with that story?

There is no way the reaction of a number of people on this forum has anything to do with what actually happened when Ince arrived but more to do with their perception of Ince. That is very clear.

[philipl]

It was only a small number who weren't keen on Ince before he started.

However, this number's grown considerably as the season's moved on.

Drog recently re-posted the numbers on the poll and I think more than 50% were in one of the less than overwhelmed categories.

[Majiball]

A lot of people thought Paul Ince wasn't the man to manage rovers. Would you like to comment on that? Wouldn't you say that was nearer the truth than simply "not liking" him?

It was only a small number who weren't keen on Ince before he started.

I thought the majority was not pro-Ince, prior and then accepting afterwards.

[T4E]

You were saying that Brad left because of Ince even though there was NO evidence to the contrary and Brad came out and said that leaving Rovers had absolutely nothing to do with Ince. Why did you persist with that story?

Because I was told differently. And before you ask me to name a source, I wont, other than to say I was told this from a source that 99% of this messageboard have had no problem believing in the past.

As far as Ince goes - I neither like him or dislike him. I don't rate him as a manager. If you were to check the original "Do You Approve of the New Manager" thread, you'll notice that it was circa 30 pages and well over a month after his appointment until I posted on that thread. I've got no doubt you'll tell me that was still too early to judge, and maybe you're right - but it hardly suggests rampant hatred that I was desperate to express, does it?

I have an opinion on Ince, have done for some time and have not yet been given any reason to change it, but several reasons to support it. It really is as simple as that.

[Majiball]

Do you like Ince T4E? Have you ever liked him? Did you give him a chance to show you what he could actually do as manager or did you buy in to the rumours and gossip? You were saying that Brad left because of Ince even though there was NO evidence to the contrary and Brad came out and said that leaving Rovers had absolutely nothing to do with Ince. Why did you persist with that story?

There is no way the reaction of a number of people on this forum has anything to do with what actually happened when Ince arrived but more to do with their perception of Ince. That is very clear.

OK lets put this into some sort of perspective shall we. I was against Ince, nothing to do with him as a player, person. I was against Ince because a gamble was not what we needed, we needed experience. The criteria used to pick Hughes was not applicable this summer, because we had progressed, significantly. Once appointed I backed him eventually, others who felt the same before, stuck to there guns. Whats wrong with that strength of ones convictions is an admirable quality.

Lots of people believed Ince had something to do Brads departure, was it not implied by our ex-resident journalist, his info was pretty accurate this summer. Your twisting things to construct an argument and making some serious assumptions about people on here. They wanted and expected a better managerial pedigree, to be honest so did I.

[Eddie]

This isn't about having the strength of your convictions. This is about supporting your football club. I see a lot of people on this site who aren't doing that properly. I there there are even a few people on here who would quite like to get an "I told you so" in. I didn't want Ince, I was very vocal in my support for two of the other candidates, but we have Ince now. He is now in charge of Blackburn Rovers and I will support him because of that until it is shown that he totally isn't up to it. We aren't at that point yet, so support your team, support your manager.

[CrazyIvan]

Your twisting things to construct an argument and making some serious assumptions about people on here. They wanted and expected a better managerial pedigree, to be honest so did I.

I'm twisting things? What things? The one thing I have wanted to see on the board is fairness towards the new manager. I don't care if they like him or not. Too many people on this mb have not been fair to him and have taken rumour and conjecture way too seriously. Remember the Carlos interview? How about the Roque one just after?

Judge the man on results not on your like/dislike of him or on the rumours in the press. I'm STILL not convinced by Ince. That is still the way I see it but 13 games is only just starting to get towards the point where you can honestly judge his performance. Way too many judged from day one and still maintain that judgement.