Blackburn Rovers have encouraged the prospect of Sam Allardyce or Graeme Souness returning to Premier League management by announcing they plan to install a successor to Paul Ince before Stoke City visit Ewood Park on Saturday.
Ince was sacked by Blackburn yesterday having presided over a run of 11 league games without a win and John Williams, the Rovers chairman, will begin what he intends to be a swift interview process from this morning. Souness, Allardyce and Alan Curbishley are among the leading candidates for the post and all are available to lead Blackburn's fight for survival immediately, although Blackburn had not made any approach for their new manager as of last night.
Contrary to weekend comments that indicated he was only interested in the vacant managerial role at Sunderland, Allardyce is keen on the Blackburn job now it has become available as he attempts to return to the game following his dismissal by Newcastle United in January. Souness is also known to be interested in a second spell at Ewood Park, where he was in charge between 2000 and 2004, although both may have to accept a short-term contract, similar to Joe Kinnear's position at St James' Park.
Another man in the frame is the former England manager Steve McClaren who, along with Allardyce, featured strongly on Blackburn's shortlist to replace Mark Hughes in the summer. However, his employment at FC Twente would complicate Blackburn's attempts to appoint a new manager by Saturday or Boxing Day at the latest. The former Blackburn favourite Alan Shearer is not interested in beginning his managerial career at Ewood Park.
"We acknowledge that time-lines are tight for we are in a very worrying situation concerning our Premier League status," said Williams last night. "We will endeavour to have a new manager in place for Saturday's game with Stoke City at Ewood Park, but there are no guarantees and we must ensure that we get the right man. In the meantime, the day-to-day training will be carried out by Archie Knox, Ray Mathias and Karl Robinson. Our coaching staff and players understand the importance of this weekend's game."
The end for Ince came at the club's training ground yesterday morning after the Blackburn chairman lost his struggle to retain a manager he appointed in June and who had taken charge of just 21 games. Williams had urged his fellow directors to give the 41-year-old more time at a board meeting last week only for an abysmal performance in the 3–0 defeat at Wigan Athletic on Saturday to increase the momentum against Ince.
Blackburn's board reconvened on Monday to discuss not only Ince's departure but the route forwards for a club in serious danger of relegation. They did not make any contact with the former Macclesfield and MK Dons manager, who gave his squad permission to hold their Christmas party in Dublin over the weekend, until relieving him of his duties.
Dave Brown, the Blackburn vice-chairman, led the opposition to Ince from the trustees appointed to safeguard Rovers' financial future after the death of former benefactor Jack Walker. The trustees are increasingly alarmed at the slide into the relegation zone — Blackburn currently lie 19th — at a time when they are looking to sell the club and are conscious of its significant drop in value should Premier League status disappear. Preserving that lucrative position will influence the appointment of Ince's successor and increases the likelihood of an experienced Premier League manager getting the job.
