Former Wolves captain Paul Ince could be set for a dramatic return to the Premier League after emerging as the favourite to take over at Derby.
Ince, currently in charge at MK Dons, is said to be battling with former Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday and Wigan boss Paul Jewell for the Pride Park hot-seat as two of three on the shortlist to replace Billy Davies, who was sacked yesterday.
Ince has led MK Dons to the top of League Two in his first season in charge, with a rescue act at Macclesfield already on his growing CV.
Now he could be set for a return to the top flight he last graced with Wolves in 2003-04 - ironically at the venue where he made his full debut for the Molineux men in August 2002.
Derby chairman Adam Pearson was today set to contact the three managers on his shortlist for the vacant manager’s position, and is confident the new man will be in place before Saturday’s clash with relegation rivals Sunderland.
“There are three serious candidates,” he said. “We’ve got a short-list and we’ll be working through the short-list.
“If the candidate is in work then we’ll be contacting their club - and if they’re out of work then we’ll be contacting their agent.
“It’s a very tight list of people who we think can put the pride back into the team and the club. We’ll be making the decision very promptly.
“We’re talking about names we think are exciting and will take the club forward and put it back on the front foot.”
Ince is the bookies’ favourite for the post. But MK Dons moved swiftly to distance him from the speculation.
“Paul Ince is the hottest young manager in English football and it comes as no surprise his name continues to be linked to managerial posts in higher divisions,” said a club statement.
“A manager of Paul’s profile inevitably attracts speculation of this nature, but we will not allow it to compromise the excellent start Paul and the team have made to the season.”
16 Comments
go for it incey prove your going to be a great manager in the prem,myself and i think every wolves fan wish ya the best of luck .
i am a fan of mick mccarthy but i do wonder what incey could have done for the wolves if they’d given him shot at manager. you need managers like him these days due to the ego’s of footballers these days
Deserves a chance in the big league,hungry young manager for success,will give his all good luck
to him.
Not good enough for The Championship, BUT good enough for The Premiership !!!!!!!!!!!
These chairmen are all to quick in forgetting what Billy davies did last year.
He really did to well last year somewhere really really deep down I bet he had lost to albion in the final because I am sure he would still be in a job. I feel sorry for David Kelly I was speaking to him the other week he had fought tooth and nail to get released from preston to join Billy at derby a month later hes out of a job
Whilst Incey has done a great job in his 2 managerial posts, I think he’d be better staying at MK for another couple of seasons before being thrown in at the deep end with a team such as Derby. He will progress leaps and bounds in the next couple of seasons and will get a much better offer.
I hope he gets the job, does great with Derby and eventually gets the promotion to England manager. England need someone of his enthusiam and determination at the helm! I think in several years time he could be a great England manager
Not good enough for The Championship, BUT good enough for The Premiership ?
Not a case of I told you so….but I told you so!
Thought Incey should have been given the job last year and all credit to MM for last season but have never changed my mind.
Instead of taking a measured gamble on someone with a great pedigree and gold and black running through his veins, we went for the tried, tested and never going to change the world option!
I wish him every success if he does get the Derby job and hope that he gets the Molineux hot seat one day. I bet Moxey wakes up in a sweat every night thinking he should have made the other decision!
i hope you get the job paul you deserve it. w.w.f.c forever
Oh god ! dont do it Incey, we need a couple of easy 3 pointers next season in the prem !
fat controller should have had the forsight to have ince as manager of wolves instead of mighty muppet… Oh well we miss out again,,,, same old story…. has beens instead of up and coming new blood
wish he would come to us
Should have put him in charge when we had the chance! Anyway, it’s likely to be Paul Jewell who takes over not the guv.
I think that by now this is a non story but I wish Paul well. I agree wih Southbank that perhaps he should be a little patient. Who knows, maybe he is worth a little bet about being England boss one day. It could happen.
Paul Jewell at Pride Park this morning about to be announced as new Derby manager - so much for the Ince story Bah Bah