Paul Ince cannot wait to kick off the biggest season of his managerial career as Blackburn's new manager sends out his first Barclays Premier League pick against Everton at Goodison  Park today.  

The former England, Liverpool and Manchester United midfielder knows he will be conducting this campaign under a bright spotlight as the top flight's first black British manager as well as stepping into Mark Hughes' shoes. 

But he will put behind him the loss of key men David Bentley and Brad Friedel, and is still fighting off bids for strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy.

Ince: fighting to keep Roque Santa Cruz and Benni McCarthy at Blackburn

'It's been a hard four or five weeks, now I'm just looking forward to the game,' said Ince.

'I'm excited more than nervous, there's a bit of both I suppose. I played in the Premier League for years, so I know what it's about. The lads are up for it. The important thing is to get something on Saturday, but it's a long season.'  

Ince, who has scaled the heights from Division Two to Premier in double-quick time, promised Blackburn fans that his new-look Rovers will be entertainers as well as keeping the steel that was injected under Hughes. 

He said: 'It's important to play the right way. You've got to entertain - even at Macclesfield when we were bottom, and again at MK Dons last year, we always tried to play good football, and we'll do exactly the same at Blackburn.  

'We've got players with flair and we're looking to bring one or two people in. Carlos Villanueva is a young kid with exceptional talent. It will take time for him to settle from another country, but he might be a surprise package this year.  

'He can play on the wings, or in the hole, and he's got a lovely left foot. But I don't want to put pressure on him.'  

Blackburn's robust style inflames the likes of Arsene Wenger, and Ince used to patrol midfield with a snarl, but he said: 'You channel your aggression the right way. I'm not going to tell players not to tackle or to stand off people.'