UEFA may make example of Ince

Apologising never comes easy to those who believe they are natural leaders, but there may well be concern on Merseyside about the unrepentant streak running through Paul Ince.

Liverpool's captain, already in trouble with the English Football Association, will miss both legs of the UEFA Cup third-round tie after being sent off in the dying seconds of Tuesday's enthralling game in Valencia, which saw his side squeeze through on away goals.

In fact he may be missing far longer. Yesterday UEFA said his poor disciplinary record would be studied before his punishment is announced next Thursday.

Having collected two UEFA Cup cautions before his dismissal in Spain, Ince already faces a three-game suspension. But it could be extended as UEFA seeks to crack down on persistent offenders.

"The player's record is not very positive and that could have an effect," said a UEFA spokesman. "It is not the first time he has been sent off."

Ince is already serving a three-game competitive international ban after his sending-off in the European Championship tie in Sweden, and that may also be increased after he was charged with misconduct by the FA for his petulance immediately after that dismissal.

The Valencia game was deep into added time when the defender, Amedeo Carboni, slapped Steve McManaman after the England international appeared to engage in Beckhamesque back-kicking. McManaman and Carboni were also sent off.

As captain, Ince had every right to intervene on behalf of his team-mate, but he forced his way into a scrum of finger-jabbing players not as peacemaker but as vigilante.

Afterwards he did not seek the forgiveness of his colleagues or his club's supporters - far from it.

"That's me. Take it or leave it," he said. "You lads (the media) will say the sendings-off took the shine off the result, but that's not the way we players see it." What "really matters", he added, was that Liverpool reached the last 16.

Ince, self-styled Guv'nor, is losing his authority, and this ugly descent into pettiness must be seen as a knee-jerk response to realising his powers are on the wane.