Eurosport - Tue, 16 Dec 16:28:00 2008
Paul Ince has become the latest managerial casualty of the Premier League season after being sacked by Blackburn Rovers.
The decision to terminate Ince's contract after just six months in the job came off the back of a dismal run of form that culminated in a 3-0 defeat to Wigan on Saturday.
That result, Rovers' sixth successive league reverse, extended the club's winless run to 11 matches and saw them end the weekend second bottom and five points from safety.
A statement on the club's official website read: "It is with great sadness the board announce that Paul Ince is to leave the club.
"After a board meeting yesterday (Monday) it was decided to relieve Paul of his duties.
"The board, having selected Paul back in June, were desperate for him to succeed and wanted to give him as much time as possible in the unforgiving environment of Premier League management where time is such a precious commodity."
Current assistant manager Ray Mathias and first-team coach Archie Knox will take charge for Saturday's clash with Stoke City.
Ince became the top flight's first black boss when he arrived at Ewood Park after having previously managed League Two sides Macclesfield and MK Dons, leading the latter to promotion to League One as champions last season.
But the weight of expectation at Premier League level proved too great after Ince managed to guide Rovers to just three league wins.
That form has left Rovers languishing in 19th place - deep in relegation trouble - and prompted chairman John Williams to act swiftly.
Williams told the club's official website: "We are currently in real danger of becoming detached from the pack.
"The survival of the club in the Premier League is paramount and our focus now is on finding a replacement who will be able to maintain our top division status.
"Paul will bounce back, he is a fighter and we wish him well."
Ince is the sixth Premier League manager to leave this season after Alan Curbishley, Kevin Keegan and Roy Keane quit West Ham United, Newcastle United and Sunderland respectively, and Harry Redknapp left Portsmouth to replace the sacked Juande Ramos at Tottenham Hotspur.
Comment 162 - 181 of 181
Eamon you get a life and stop your unecessary put down comments. Its people who adopt your negative attitude towards others that can make life sad! You have no relevance to my life and wont be telling me anything. I am here like many others to discuss football issues as a topic of interest and healthy debate between fans, why your here moaning about me doing this doesn't make any sense and makes you look stupid. You also know nothing about my life and if thats how you judge others you are an irrational indvidual.
Stephen d..... u put 2 much effort in... get a life
Its a while since Ince ate mince with a prince
Paul Ince has played at the highest level as a footballer for Liverpool, West Ham, Manchester United and Inter Milan. At international level he was well respected throughout the game and has been awarded the captaincy for his country. It was also commented on a frequent basis by many professionals within the game just how determined Paul Ince was as an indiviual no matter how touch things got on the pitch and his achievements as a player are most certainly not repeated by the majority of other football professionals. Paul's achievemnets are of a very high standard which most of us amatures can only dream off replicating. Alex Feguson, has spoke highly of Pauls ability and the need to support him during Blackburns poor run. Paul Ince made an impressive start to his management carrer at Maccesfield town and MK doms which can be added to his impressive CV as a player. These honest and geninue facts may be a significant reason why there is current debate against the Blackburn Rovers board sacking him whilst Paul experience a poor run of form lately. The Blackburn board spoke highly of Paul before his appointment and I hope paul repeats his sucess as a player and bounces back as a manager with similar sucess.
To.....susan941brown. Arsenal have NEVER won the Champions league....but Aston villa have (The European cup as it was then called).
Arsenal are a spent force and are now like a bunch of headless chickens! A team of whingers and moaners...just like Arsène Wenger.
Move Over Arsenal..the Villa boys have taken your place!
Rabid Arab, that shall never happen as long as we are walking the earth.
WAS IT PAUL INCE ON THE FIELD PLAYING? NO................ SACK ALL THE USELESS PLAYERS
It's not nice to see anyone lose their job but his comments of "men against boys" regarding the Man U/Celtic game wound me up and I have a wee smile on my face now. I never did like Ince anyway (why can't he do his tie up properly when you see him on telly?), and to think he was "the guv'nor" is quite laughable now. Things come back to haunt you eventually, so I've not a lot of sympathy.
Men against boys? Is that right Mr Ince.....get it up yea! Teach you to go running your mouth off about the Celtic.
Start Swetting Mark Hughes... Your Next!
Blackburn Rovers are failing on two levels. Firstly employing a man who's managerial cv was hardly glowing and secondly failing to see that the players aren't playing for the shirt. Clubs such as Blackburn, Newcastle Southampton, Stoke City and West Brom etc should see that they ain't going to find 11 supporters to play for them.
If you pay one person a salary to pick apples and another for how many apples they pick, who is going to pick more. I'm sure clubs who paid players via bonus rather than inflated salaries would find they might get a bit more effort on the field and less quotes about the "manager has lost the dressing room" or "confidence."
Or am I just being silly.
The blackburn board have been playing too much "Football Manager" on their PCs, it's not completely up to the manager which players the team ultimately get and how they perform, he may have some influence but it's mostly the boards fault. And it's not because he was black Emma! Times have changed, what are you like 80?!
give him a chance stupid after a dozen or so games
unlucky mr ince - just go on and prove yourself at another club - i'm sure you'll become a top class manager in future
i want to understand something,what happens to the players that play the game?are they immune from been sacked too?the managers dont play,only manage so i feel its high time the players take some blame.cos if players dont like a manager all they do is play rubbish and the manager is sacked them immune from any blame.this is all wrong
Paul Ince never stood a chance,Mark Hughes quit before he was sacked,he won't be at City much longer,he hasn't a clue.
football is not about games you play its the drop zone, that worries people most,
when you are loyal, to your club and support you home town, when you pay money to watch your teams play football it not about up settting you get from the games it cost money and wages to clubs, small club does have the shares off TV HIGHLIGHT SO COME ON SKY SPORTS LETS SEE OTHER CLUBS HAVE IT FAIR SHARE
I think Blackburn have been struggling for a while.
Hughes did a good job but knew it was time to abandon ship.I'm not sure Ince is to blame but more a lack of investment for the last 5 or so years.
I dont follow ball sports but surely the players are supposed to make the team. You dont win a Grand Prix with an Austin 7
my mum's looking for a job. she used to talk to me about my games when i was at school. does that put her top of the short list?
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