ESPNsoccernet: England

Blackburn coach Nigel Winterburn has backed Paul Ince to turn things around at the club and dismissed claims the players have lost confidence in the manager.

Rovers have not won for 10 Premier League matches, losing the last five in succession, and have slipped to 19th in the table.

That has put the focus firmly on Ince, who only began his first top-flight job when he replaced Mark Hughes in the summer, and whose position would undoubtedly have been discussed at yesterday's monthly board meeting.

There have been rumours of dressing room unrest but Winterburn, brought in by Ince to work on defensive tactics, said that was not the case.

"I don't think he would be at Blackburn if he didn't believe that [he could turn things around]," said the former Arsenal full-back.

"The players are certainly behind him and it looks like the board will back him as well.

"That is the most important thing. It doesn't matter what other people think, it is just case of starting to put the results right on the pitch.

"That will dispel all the rumours flying around at the moment and that will happen very quickly."

Winterburn said Ince's inexperience in managing at this level was probably one of the reasons for the increased speculation over his future but felt the rookie boss was doing everything right.

"He has adapted very quickly, especially over the last couple of weeks with the things which have been written against him," he said.

"He will be learning all the time what it is like to manage in the Premier League and I'm sure you will see a massive improvement from the team in the next few weeks to lift them away from the relegation zone."

The former Arsenal defender added that the players were working hard to turn around their fortunes, which has seen them go without victory since September 27 at Newcastle.

"The way they are applying themselves in training to put things right is a credit to them," he told BBC Sport.

"I am sure you will see a big improvement over the next few weeks."

Chairman John Williams has set the team a target of nine wins - which would take the club to 40 points - to save their season.

"We have 22 games left and the sooner we start picking up the wins the better the situation will look," he told the Lancashire Telegraph.

"The longer we go without a win the more difficult it becomes for us to get those wins we need.

"The players and the manager believe our fortunes will change once we get that first win, but we all know we need that win quickly."