Paul Ince will step straight into fresh controversy when he is introduced as Blackburn Rovers’ new boss tomorrow – making history as the first black British Premier League manager.
Ince will become the fourth member of Manchester United’s 1994 double-winning team to be in charge of a current top-flight team after Mark Hughes, Steve Bruce and Roy Keane.
But a moment of English football history will be accompanied by a whispering campaign that suggests Blackburn’s Premier League rivals are unhappy.
They believe that Rovers have flouted the laws in appointing the former Wolves skipper.
Ince does not have the UEFA pro-licence Premier League regulations insist managers must possess to take charge.
In fact, he has not even completed his UEFA B licence, the lowest rung on the coaching ladder for ex-pros.
He started, but did not finish, a Certificate of Applied Management for Football, a diploma backed by the LMA and PFA intended to complement the coaching badges.
He was due at the Warwick Business School earlier this month to work on this.
It is thought to have decided to take a golfing holiday in Portugal instead.
Special arrangements were then put in place for Ince to attend a Welsh FA coaching course at the weekend, to help ease him back into the process, but it is understood he did not turn up and offered no explanation.
This has prompted behind-closed-doors criticism of Blackburn chairman John Williams’s decision to appoint the MK Dons manager.
Premier League and LMA officials have indicated their support for the move, granting Ince two years to gain his Pro-Licence.
Special cases have been granted in the past for Avram Grant, Glenn Roeder and Gareth Southgate - who is about to start his third season as Middlesbrough boss without the badge.
The Managers’ Association have confirmed they have given Paul Ince full backing even though he does not hold a UEFA Pro Licence.
Yet Ince is no stranger to controversy. He will have plenty to keep him busy in his first summer at Ewood, with a string of Blackburn’s top players at the centre of speculation that they are looking to follow former boss Hughes out of the club.
4 Comments
why do u need a bagde to coach? did any of the great managers of the past!? stinks of money making and protectionism!
The only storm it should spark is that we didn’t give him the job when he wanted it!
Spot on two!
No 2 totally agree