Is ‘Icarus’ Ince A Rival To Keane And Hughes For Fergie’s Throne
Does Roy Keane now face a three way fight to take over at United when Sir Alex steps down?
Earlier this month, bookmakers rated United old boy Mark Hughes as favourite to succeed Ferguson with Keano second on the list.
Now another ex-United star could soon force his way into the reckoning. Press reports today suggest ex-midfielder Paul ‘Icarus’ Ince is Derby’s choice to replace Billy Davies, who was sacked yesterday after a string of poor results since winning promotion to the Premiership.
Ince is a novice as a manager but has earned a glowing reputation by steering Macclesfield to safety last season and starting this term impressively with MK Dons.
The Guardian stated: “Ince has led MK Dons to the top of League Two and was described by his employers as “the hottest young manager in English football” last night. The former England international has also shown he is capable of some unlikely feats of escapology, saving Macclesfield from dropping into the Conference after taking over in October when they were 92nd in the football ladder and seven points adrift of safety.”
Ince’s track record is evidence of great managerial promise but a step up to the Premiership with Derby might come to be seen as a giant leap too soon.
Nevertheless, the Sun newspaper believes that Ince will beat off the rival claims of the usual suspects - Jewell, Souness, O’Leary - and will be installed as early as this weekend, with a brief to guide the division’s worst team to safety.
If Ince succeeds, a Red future could yet await him, despite a terrible moment at Anfield in 1999 when he kissed the Scouse badge after scoring.
