Premier League - Ince sacked by Blackburn

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.

2008-2009 Premier League Blackburn Rovers Paul Ince - 0

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.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

Comment 162 - 181 of 181

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  1. 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.

    From stephen d, on Wed 17 Dec 12:16PM
  2. Stephen d..... u put 2 much effort in... get a life

    From eamon.donnelly, on Wed 17 Dec 4:47AM
  3. Its a while since Ince ate mince with a prince

    From football_nutz, on Tue 16 Dec 11:46PM
  4. 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.

    From stephen d, on Tue 16 Dec 10:32PM
  5. 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!

    From Troika, on Tue 16 Dec 10:10PM
  6. Rabid Arab, that shall never happen as long as we are­ walking the earth.

    From sappercommando25, on Tue 16 Dec 9:45PM
  7. WAS IT PAUL INCE ON THE FIELD PLAYING?­ NO................ SACK ALL THE USELESS PLAYERS

    From hj,.l, on Tue 16 Dec 9:18PM
  8. 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.

    From Alan R, on Tue 16 Dec 7:31PM
  9. Men against boys? Is that right Mr Ince.....get it up­ yea! Teach you to go running your mouth off about the­ Celtic.

    From archie1003, on Tue 16 Dec 6:33PM
  10. Start Swetting Mark Hughes... Your Next!

    From alastairiha, on Tue 16 Dec 6:30PM
  11. 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.

    From John, on Tue 16 Dec 6:00PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    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?!

    From yodeller, on Tue 16 Dec 5:55PM
  13. give him a chance stupid after a dozen or so games

    From jase, on Tue 16 Dec 5:37PM
  14. unlucky mr ince - just go on and prove yourself at­ another club - i'm sure you'll become a top­ class manager in future

    From Greg, on Tue 16 Dec 5:36PM
  15. 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

    From emmanuel e, on Tue 16 Dec 5:34PM
  16. 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.

    From wombat, on Tue 16 Dec 5:31PM
  17. 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

    From michael.derby1, on Tue 16 Dec 5:21PM
  18. 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.

    From geordieprince1, on Tue 16 Dec 5:09PM
  19. 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

    From MIKE, on Tue 16 Dec 5:03PM
  20. 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?

    From dirtybasad, on Tue 16 Dec 4:56PM
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