Premier League - Parker tips Ince for success

Eurosport - Tue, 24 Jun 09:59:00 2008

Paul Parker believes Paul Ince can become the best of all his former Manchester United team-mates currently managing in the top flight.

FOOTBALL Premier League Paul Ince - 0

"Already a lot has been said about the appointment of my old pal Paul Ince as manager of Blackburn.

It's a great story, what with Incey becoming the first black Briton to manage a top flight team, so I suppose much of the talk about him being a pioneer is inevitable.

But I'd rather not dwell on the colour of his skin - I'd much prefer to focus on his talent and what he can bring to both Blackburn and the Premier League. After all, other top flight managers aren't judged by the colour of their skin, so why should he?

For me, it's simple - I see enough potential in Ince to succeed as a manager in the top flight; even more than two other former Manchester United team-mates - his predecessor at Ewood Park Mark Hughes and Sunderland boss Roy Keane.

Ince has already enjoyed a good grounding in management thanks to his stints in the lower leagues - first with Macclesfield and then with MK Dons - and I believe that will stand him in better stead than his old friends.

Keane started at Sunderland without any experience as a manager while the Blackburn job was Hughes's first club post. Another former United player-turned manager Bryan Robson went straight from playing to managing the Middlesbrough side.

But already Ince has garnered experience of dealing with the day-to-day intricacies of football management and he knows how to deal with and get the best out of his players.

It is also nice to see a young English manager - and a former England captain at that - get his chance in the Premier League, rather than seeing yet another foreign boss coming over here.

He certainly has big shoes to fill at Ewood Park, given the fantastic job Hughes has done there.

But Ince has the reputation to attract new faces - and perhaps more importantly persuade current stars to stay - and continue the good work already completed.

Hughes has left the club in fine fettle, but Ince will want to hit the ground running in Lancashire and will not settle for second-best. Ince was born a winner and having played with him for four years, I know he does not accept losing well.

He's loud, brash and isn't afraid of upsetting people. He may have mellowed slightly in his later years, but there is no denying that he will bring the personality that made him so formidable on the pitch directly to the Blackburn bench.

Of course, as with every job in the Premier League, much of how Ince does at Blackburn will depend on the money at his disposal, but for the first time as a manager he will have some to spend.

The only worry is that he's never been in that position before and, while there's no doubt he will be able to compete in the European market, the real acid test will come when he spends it and what he is able to get for his cash."

Eurosport

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  1. Did I miss any rating of Steve Bruce as a former Man Utd player now in Management?

    From ini7ndini, on Fri 4 Jul 9:21AM

  2. Paul Parker speaks a load of @#$%, i am tired of hearing the race card from both of these guys regarding Paul Ince appointment at Blackburn.Paul Ince is yet to prove himself at a level where he can be classed as a good manager. If he gets sacked will it be because he is Black and discriminated against. Please cut the @#$% with the Black thing and let Paul show what he can do. I think he will be a good premier manager if given some time to settle.Paul Parker (shut up you muppet)

    From Tony C, on Wed 2 Jul 2:05PM

  3. roy keane is not biulding a football team he is biulding a football club just wait and see

    From john c, on Wed 25 Jun 10:24PM

  4. Love it that you are all experts on Ince. He has done a fantastic job at both clubs he has been at. No-one knows how he will do but fair play to Blackburn they could of taken the easy route and gone abroad and appointed a manager cos he once one the dutch/german/french (Etc.) cup/league. They have taken a chance on a young manager that looks like he could do it, the reason we don't have better English managers is because too many teams won't take a chance on a lower league British/Irish manager, How many teams actually do that? Keane got the job cos he was mates with Quinn, Southgate got it cos he used to play there and there are several others. Well done to Blackburn i say.

    From james b, on Tue 24 Jun 2:15PM

  5. why is rasicts spreading like this in football, all fifa effort didnt hv any effect? lets stop ds once and for all, Ince is an english man who as contribute a lot to english football, i think the best thing for all of us is to support him and give him advice on any problem we know or hv come across in Blackburn and how to correct it; lets support him its a glory and good omen 4 england.
    Paul if u read ds i think d best thing now is to have meeting wt Mark. Stay bless.

    From adeniran s, on Tue 24 Jun 11:35AM

  6. Why does it have to be 'first black' everything all the while? Surely there are as many if not more black footballers in englands as white ones? My money is on first black manager to taken a UEFA cup qualfied team down 3 divisions on the spin.

    From karlbillo, on Tue 24 Jun 9:12AM

  7. First black manager black manager manager first manager black first black......etc etc etc , who cares what bloody colour he is. All your doing is bringing these stupid racist issues back. Is Steve McClaren a @#$% manager because he is white? Wenger a good one because he is white? Honestly, who cares.

    From The Baboon Of Destiny, on Tue 24 Jun 6:51AM

  8. give the man a chance.................................

    From MBAKI, on Tue 24 Jun 5:12AM

  9. Ince might be good, but he's also mardy. I've been in crowds chanting something to that effect when he played.

    As for being a leader ! - Look where he was sitting (and his mate McManaman) when he ducked out of taking an England penalty and let Gareth Southgate take and miss only the second one of his professional life.

    He liked to be called the "guvenor" by his mates at Wolves, lets see how he manages when he has to really do the job ?

    From David E, on Tue 24 Jun 4:25AM

  10. What can i say...Most of the english coaches are former man utd players. Kudos to Sir Alex for bringing out the best in them as a player and also a coach. Who's the next current man utd player will go into club management?

    From dyzmie, on Tue 24 Jun 3:59AM

  11. Future England manager I hope.

    From zaprese, on Mon 23 Jun 10:56PM

  12. his first job is to get bentley out of the door not get him to stay(the guy belives in his own publisity)followed by warnock who only wants to play for mark hughes and not blaclburn rovers

    From steven a, on Mon 23 Jun 10:15PM

  13. Big time charlie will fail, he has a big ego and is heading for a big fall

    From Rockin Daddy, on Mon 23 Jun 10:04PM

  14. Can we stop the talk of all this First Black rubbish, does skin colour really determine a managers skills and know how? above all else it is offensive to ALL people.

    From andyjocotton, on Mon 23 Jun 10:01PM

  15. Kiss of death Incey,your fellow black man(no offence)has spoken.Usually everything he says turns to rat s--t.Was a good full back @ United.When he tried his hand,coulnt even Manage low division stuff.So what valid comment can he make.................failure

    From harkinsinturkey, on Mon 23 Jun 9:23PM

  16. Ince is already an amazing manager and he's gonna take Blackburn to the Champions League.

    From Justin, on Mon 23 Jun 9:15PM

  17. Why would anyone write off Incey before he starts his job? Keane got his chance so too Hughes, so why not Ince? Because he is black - face it! And that is the death of British football really. Run down all the black stars, better to stay trophyless, afterall all 1966 is just like yesterday, init? To Blackburn, you need you've got some hounds on your hands. To Ince, the mines are all around. To British fans, take a cue from American sports

    From Kenneth O, on Mon 23 Jun 7:12PM

  18. Who is Paul Parker to approve Ince as a manager or anything else, we do not need your opinion. Give guy a chance
    and he will prove himself.

    From utiger, on Mon 23 Jun 6:02PM

  19. Having read all the comments prior to this, I think that Paul Ince will prove most, if not all doubters wrong
    top 8 finish 1st year, europe after that

    From linron942000, on Mon 23 Jun 5:24PM

  20. he'll make a decent-ish 'average' sort of manager. Won't achieve much, just hover in the middle to bottom of the table. Nothing special's going to happen.

    From mikey, on Mon 23 Jun 4:44PM
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