FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAIN Paul Ince is set to be confirmed as Blackpool manager on Monday after he watched the Championship club’s 1-0 defeat at Ipswich on Saturday.
Ince has been in talks with Blackpool for several days and the ex-Manchester United, Liverpool and Inter Milan midfielder sat in the directors’ box at Portman Road to see Michael Chopra’s 50th minute strike seal the points for Ipswich.
While Blackpool are yet to announce Ince’s arrival, caretaker manager Steve Thompson revealed after the game that the 45-year-old was on the brink of agreeing a deal.
“There’s going to be an announcement on Monday. It’s going to be Paul Ince,” Thompson said. “The deal is very close to being done.”
With his son Tom a key figure in the Blackpool forward line, Ince has been an ever-present at the Seasiders’ home games this season and knows the set-up at Bloomfield Road inside out.
Ince, who has not managed since he left Notts County almost two years ago, had an unsuccessful six-month spell in charge of Blackburn during their time in the Premier League, winning just six of 21 matches before being dismissed.
He started his managerial career at Macclesfield in 2006 and has had two spells with Milton Keynes Dons, whom he led to promotion from League Two in 2008.
Thompson has been in interim charge since Michael Appleton left for Blackburn on January 11.
