[Archived] Paul Ince

[Wild Irish Rover]

You just never know till you ask.

What some people may forget is Blackburn Rovers is a great club, full of tradition. It's a team in the premier league which is one of the best leagues in the world and has a beautiful stadium in Ewood Park plus world class training facilities. A squad full of International class to work with and the best fans in the world.

I was with you, right up to that point

Anyway, what's all the fuss about? It seems inevitable now that we will be in turmoil for the foreseeable future, regardless of who is at the helm. It is a cause of tangible pain to the supporters of the club that we seem to be in such a mess, and a total hoot for the club's detractors (including our 6 fingered neighbours). The biggest problem is that our figurehead apparently has no idea how to a) motivate and manage players to get results outwit our opposition tactically c) deal with a cynical and largely uninterested media and d) put together a plausible game plan other than hit and hope.

So, if this afternoon we witness another shocking display of asset mismanagement, managerial ineptitude and motvational malfeasance, I for one will not be surprised if the axe comes down on this manager's short tenure.

Still, I hope we have all been missing something and that somehow we pull enough rabbits out of the hat to keep a clean sheet and score a couple at the other end... dreaming of a blue n white Christmas

[Bobby G]

That puts a bad spin of it...But he didnt do too bad with finishing in the top 6 in what I would say was the closest we have come to a Champions League spot that season as well as a trophy?

[The Prof.]

pros of souey: Pedersen,emerton,neill,tugay,friedel,fergerson(technically great signing made up when we signed him can't hold it against the manager that he turned out to be homesick brat),Sticking 7 past west ham, finishing 6th and winning a cup.

cons;numerous,grabbi,amo,yorke,gresko

so-so;reid,cole(who was'nt excited when he signed),

Considering our finances it'd be a good thing with souey on the basis that his best moments cost very little and his worst mistakes the kind of money we can only dream of now,

Good point but it was a high maintenence squad which depreciated faster than an Alpha Romeo. Who did we sell for more than we paid? Friedel I think.

Under Sounesses' training regime I wonder if we would ever see Grella again (not to mention Dunny!). This old idea that someone can manage by the sheer force of personality is from the Ark. Hughes proved that.

Ad you can make a centre half much better by pinning him down and shaving his head aka Taylor. Like to see hm try that with Samba, Nelson, err Ouijer. Zurabs halfway there anyway so he doesn't count.

[whittle blue]

I'm a Sounees fan BUT he's the wrong choice.

He would be great if the players were a bunch of toerags and needed sorting out but that's not the case.

Hughes left us with a team of good pro's.

I can only see Allardyce as a realistic option in our position.

[T4E]

Erm...thanks tugay4...I think I'd gathered that.

I'll make it a bit clearer so you can understand.

Apart from alan nixon's report in the mirror (which I saw last night ) there hasn't been much else. Not what I expected after the comments late last night.

So by "make clearer" you mean"re-write".

You're right, I understand now

[Paul]

Erm....the club is intending to sack the manager,

Hardly surprising were 19th and haven't played football for months

have already lined up two possible replacements,

I should hope they have considered at least two

one of which could be our former manager who splits opinion on here like no other.

Got to admit this one is unexpected but for the short-term makes good sense

Short of appointing Wile E Coyote with Roadrunner as his assistant, how much more explosive were you expecting?

Like i166429 I'm still waiting for the promsed explosion - Ferguson to Ewood and brings Ronaldo, that would be explosive

[j166429]

So by "make clearer" you mean"re-write".

You're right, I understand now

Glad I could help!!

[T4E]

Hardly surprising were 19th and haven't played football for months

I should hope they have considered at least two

Got to admit this one is unexpected but for the short-term makes good sense

Like i166429 I'm still waiting for the promsed explosion - Ferguson to Ewood and brings Ronaldo, that would be explosive

Please yourself - but the club are on the verge of making a big decision that will affect our long term future - you can either discuss that or labour on semantics.

[j166429]

Like i166429 I'm still waiting for the promsed explosion - Ferguson to Ewood and brings Ronaldo, that would be explosive

This is what I was trying to explain to Tugay4England...

After last night's initial rumours about phonecalls to the respective boards of sunderland and bolton and then Nicko's post about "explosive" newspaper articles, I'm still searching in the tabloids for more insight.

[Atty]

Beggars cant be choosers. People want Ince out cause they think we will be certainly relegated but begin to moan about the replacements. I think any change of direction is good. Look at Joe Kinnear for God's sake...

But I do hope that Allardyce is the first choice and he is approached before Souness.

Personally I wouldnt go for a foreigner or a lower-league man cause it poses too much of a risk and we cannot risk anything now. Allardyce is perfect for it and a few days ago Im sure it wouldve been him but if Sunderland want him, there is no competition. Souness I always liked the man, he was honest, and he did give us one of the greatest eras in the clubs recent history with a trophy as well! Im not sure about him long-term but as a fallback option I can live with it.

Agreed I’m not bothered as long as the attitude on the pitch changes and we start getting results.

I think we would loose more fans under Ince then what we will under Souness or BFS infact we might have a chance of winning a game.

The cleaner would have done a better job then Ince.

I would hope for BFS and we should have appointed him in the summer or Laudrup.

There has been a big f**k up at board level and I don’t think JW should be asked questions about his judgment.

I think Ince is finished which is the best news we had for a long time I just think we should have been sacked him after the Sunderland game

[j166429]

Please yourself - but the club are on the verge of making a big decision that will affect our long term future - you can either discuss that or labour on semantics.

I don't think we're labouring on semantics. I think we're actually discussing the descision that the board will have to make.

I was just underlining the point that in my opinion the newspapers seem relatively quiet compared to what I would have expected.

[The Prof.]

This is our Leeds moment folks and it can go either way.

The only way all this article is true is if the board have seen enough and they are trying to get Ince to walk. Save's on compo.

1. It would'nt surprise me one bit if Souness arrived as Director of football over Ince and Ince stayed. Souness and Ince demanding funds is a scary thought, I have huge concerns over all this.

2. Who leaked? - Sack or send CI5 round. You have to be tighter than a duck jacksy at times like this. No time for this at all.

3. Allardyce won't come - unless he's had a big change of mind. Forget Craig - he's learning to fly you to Malaga for your hols. Sunderland is a much better option for BFS but he's prostituting himself about in a most undignified manner.

4. George Graham would sort the defence out and give Ince time. Unemployed managers are 10 a penny.

If and it' a big IF, the reports are true this is most un Rovers like and will deter any quality replacement. I also found it odd that the players moaning would cause such a big change of heart in a corporate body.

[Guest Kamy100]

As nicko said this story about JW asking about Sam has come out of the northeast, no reason to doubt that it is not true.

[Bobby G]

Kamy anything on the horizon, any updates to give?

[T4E]

The only way all this article is true is if the board have seen enough and they are trying to get Ince to walk. Save's on compo.

You might say that was the goal of the trustees meeting. Leak that there's going to be a meeting, make it sound like it's to talk about releasing funds for the manager for January, then leak afterwards that no fund are available. It's a vote of no confidence in everything but name.

Then when you consider the coach bust up story last week that somehow got out, you've got to wonder what their game is.

[The Prof.]

As nicko said this story about JW asking about Sam has come out of the northeast, no reason to doubt that it is not true.

Are all story's from the North east true then? I heard about this geordie lass.........oh never mind.

You might say that was the goal of the trustees meeting. Leak that there's going to be a meeting, make it sound like it's to talk about releasing funds for the manager for January, then leak afterwards that no fund are available. It's a vote of no confidence in everything but name.

Then when you consider the coach bust up story last week that somehow got out, you've got to wonder what their game is.

Either way you wouldn't feel too confident coming to take over what looks like a very unRovers like shambles would you?

[thenodrog]

Breathtaking that calls are being made in the build-up to a game.

Eh? Why? We are in the middle of the season so there will always be a build up to some game or other.

As nicko said this story about JW asking about Sam has come out of the northeast, no reason to doubt that it is not true.

Prob just somebody pro allardyce seeking to force the issue with the Sland board.

[T4E]

Are all story's from the North east true then? I heard about this geordie lass.........oh never mind.

Either way you wouldn't feel too confident coming to take over what looks like a very unRovers like shambles would you?

Certainly not - unless of course you've worked for the club before and know it better than the speculators do.

I think we've cracked it you know....

[Paul]

Please yourself - but the club are on the verge of making a big decision that will affect our long term future - you can either discuss that or labour on semantics.

I am aware of that, take a look at the first post on page 123 and you'll see I have provided my opinion. I'm also interested to know about the "explosive" stuff nicko promised, or could it be a slight exageration on his part? Sorry if this upsets the nickettes but I didn't say it in the first place and as usual the question gets ignored by the poster.

Souness in charge today? That would be explosive in my view.

[nicko]

As nicko said this story about JW asking about Sam has come out of the northeast, no reason to doubt that it is not true.

Ask yourself this.

How would a senior Sunderland official know on Friday afternoon that Blackburn Rovers had a short-list of Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness-plus-Tugay..?

The word went round so fast that the Daily Mail and the Daily Mirror knew about it around 6pm. That was when I got a call from the Mirror and was asked to check it out.

Souey got a call from the Mail - with identical information - just before I checked with him and refused to comment.

However the original source was as I stated earlier very specific and very accurate.

[Craigman]

Is it possible, that this was a planted leak, so there would not be any demonstrations or placards/chants for Ince's head at todays game ?

[nicko]

Eh? Why? We are in the middle of the season so there will always be a build up to some game or other.

I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T ACKNOWLEDGED HIM...BUT YOU DO HAVE A MANAGER IN PLACE AT THE MOMENT.

Prob just somebody pro allardyce seeking to force the issue with the Sland board.

NO.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

When you reflect on Souness's tenure it was more positive than negative. The issues came around the sale of Dunn and Duff and subsequent spending of money. Given hindsight and injuries (The Dunn sale was the right one, though many didn't agree - including me at the time). The board will no doubt have been working VERY hard behind the scenes to make sure they pocketed the £17 million for Duff.

The first 3 years under Souness were very good, the last one abysmally poor.

Let's not forget that last sesson Rovers did overperform and were often mediocre at best. Clear investment in the team was needed

It is unfair on Ince to get rid so soon, BUT we are not here to help Ince build a managerial career at the expense of Championship football. He was clearly nnot ready to make the jump to the Premiership. It is a lesson for all young managers in lower leagues with aspirations -make sure you prepare for Premier management at least a year before you start applying for jobs - if you don't deliver instantly, you're out.

If Ince goes and they bring in Souness on a 6 month deal - are the board realistically going to back him in the January?? or is it a wing and a prayer job to try and scrape us up with the existing squad. Me thinks the latter and yet again the board will try not to stump up the money to improve.

Still you never know......Joaquin's only £6 million quid now

[nicko]

Is it possible, that this was a planted leak, so there would not be any demonstrations or placards/chants for Ince's head at todays game ?

No, not at all.

[The Prof.]

.