Ince hails Santa Cruz deal

Ince also praises striker partner Roberts

Last updated: 24th August 2008

Blackburn v Hull Paul Ince

Ince: Delighted with strike duo

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Blackburn boss Paul Ince was delighted to "put to bed" all the "rubbish" concerning Roque Santa Cruz after the striker signed a new four-year contract at Ewood Park.

Santa Cruz ended weeks of speculation over his future by putting pen to paper on a new deal, ending interest from the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City, who had a reported £12million bid rejected earlier this month.

Santa Cruz enjoyed a fine debut season at Ewood Park last season, scoring 23 goals in all competitions and Ince was happy to end all the speculation over the Paraguay international's future.

"I'm absolutely delighted," Ince revealed. "You guys have all seen the rubbish that's been written in the papers in the last couple of weeks, and it's nice to just put it to bed now.

Unsettling

"It's been unsettling for everyone, including Roque himself, and we're absolutely delighted at the club. And the players are as well because he is a talisman for us.

"I think we've spent the last two weeks worrying if he was going to go or if he was going to stay, and now we can put it to bed and concentrate on the Premier League."

When asked whether Santa Cruz had always been happy at Rovers, Ince added: "If he wasn't, he wouldn't have signed a four-year contract. So there you go."

Santz Cruz failed to celebrate his new deal with a goal against Hull on Saturday with strike partner Jason Roberts finding the net in the 1-1 draw.

Ince has been impressed by Roberts' start to the season and singled out the former Wigan for special praise.

Awesome
"I'm delighted for him," noted Ince. "He deserved a goal last week against Everton and he got his just rewards today. He could probably have got two or three to be fair.

"I just thought it wasn't going to happen, and it got to the 75th minute and I thought maybe he'd had his time and it was time to throw on someone like Benni (McCarthy).

"But he was awesome, and the work he does in holding the ball up causes so much problems. I was pleased with his performance. For the last two or three weeks he has been different class."