Paul Ince faced a difficult task when he took the job at Ewood Park last summer after Mark Hughes left for the riches offered by Manchester City. Unlike other former players like Gareth Southgate, Stuart Pearce and Gordon Strachan, Ince learned his trade in the lower leagues with Macclesfield and Milton Keynes Dons before joining Blackburn Rovers, but was he ready to make the step up? Ince has wrongly been described as the first black manager in the English Premier League; that distinction belongs to former French great Jean Tigana, who managed Fulham between 2001-2003.1 Ince has been vociferous in his criticism of the lack of opportunities for black managers and coaches, but did Ince make the most of his opportunity at Blackburn? It required the ability to adapt plans to suit current requirements. Ince’s credentials were quickly put to the test by the sending off of Martin Olsson in the match against Tottenham with almost an hour remaining.