Ince faces tough fight to hold on to Rovers' three top properties: Bentley, Santa Cruz and Friedel

The big clubs are hovering like vultures over Blackburn's new manager with Ince admitting last night that Aston Villa had followed Tottenham in making a bid for England midfielder David Bentley.  

After his first game as Blackburn manager - a 2-1 friendly win at former club Macclesfield last night - Ince insisted he would fight attempts to prise Bentley, Brad Friedel and Roque Santa Cruz away from Ewood Park.

Met the new boss: Paul Ince with his new defensive coach Nigel Winterburn before Blackburn's friendly at Macclesfield last night

Ince was adamant that he wants to keep all of his top stars, that he does not want former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson and does not want to sell veteran Friedel. 

The former MK Dons and Macclesfield boss maintains that Bentley, after a couple of days off to recover from an ankle injury, will be jetting out with Rovers to their German training camp on Wednesday.  

Trialist Robbie Fowler will also be on the plane, while Ince does not expect Friedel - who played the first half against Macclesfield to a rousing ovation from Rovers' travelling fans - to be going anywhere soon, other than to Germany with the rest of his squad.  

Ince, though, admits life is different from managing MK Dons. He said: 'Certainly it is very different, there is a lot more pressure.  

'But I am still loving every minute of it. And no, I do not want to lose my best players.' 

David Bentley

Roque Santa Cruz

Brad Friedel

Ince may well eventually concede the fight over Bentley, with a possible £17million on offer, but Santa Cruz is a long way from leaving, insists Ince.  

He said: 'When I came to Blackburn I said I wanted to keep my best players, and Brad Friedel comes into that category, he is one of the best 'keepers in the Premier League.

'There is no interest from me in Paul Robinson, as far as I am concerned I want to keep Brad. I do not want to sell Brad, so why should I want Paul Robinson.  

'As for the David Bentley situation, that will not go away, only time will tell whether he is here in August. He would have played at Macclesfield if he had not been injured, but I know that in football players come and players go.  

'We have had an offer from Aston Villa, but I do not want him to go. But he is injured and he will have a couple of days off and I hope to take him to Germany on Wednesday for or training trip.' 

David Dunn and Paul Gallagher scored Blackburn's goals, with Ince using 21 players on the night. Martin Gritton got plucky Macclesfield's consolation.