PAUL Ince has told Blackburn’s critics to “pick on another club” after dismissing more claims that Roque Santa Cruz could be heading out of Ewood Park.

Since stepping into the Rovers hot-seat, Ince has been continually irked by a succession of rumours that his prize striker is leaving the club, even since Santa Cruz penned a new four-year deal in August.

Last week, the Blackburn chief poured cold water on suggestions that the South American hit-man was angling a move to Manchester City - following an interview Santa Cruz gave to a Paraguayan radio station - and now fresh reports have surfaced linking the 27-year-old with a switch to Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Ince admits that frenzied transfer speculation is something he must continue dealing with, especially with the January transfer window on the horizon.

But he has urged the club’s meddlers to rock someone else’s boat rather than stir trouble on his own doorstep.

“I accept that the nearer we get to the January sales, people will put all this rubbish in the papers,” said Ince.

“We’ve said before that Roque has signed a new four-year deal - he’s come out and said he loves it here.

“There was a load of rubbish that he might be joining Manchester City.

"It was exactly the same when people wrote about Carlos Villanueva.

“People want to write untold lies and I really don’t know why they do it.

"I don’t know why they just don’t go and pick on another club.

“Since I’ve been here, everyone has been trying to put Blackburn down, saying that my players want to go or that they are unhappy.”

The 41-year-old added: “We’ve had the wins at Everton and Newcastle, and we battled for a scoreless draw at Bolton last Saturday, yet people keep on writing these things.

“But we’re getting used to all that now. We will just concentrate on what we do as a club.”

Ince has revealed, however, that behind the scenes at Ewood Park, rumours and speculation concerning his players are nipped in the bud at the earliest opportunity.

“You’ve got to address this head on,” he said. “The first thing that happened when it was in the paper, Roque was knocking on my door saying it was a load of rubbish.

“I’m sure it isn’t going to go away because Roque is a top-class player.

“But he’s just signed a four-year contract with Blackburn and he wants to stay here. That’s the situation, it’s as simple as that.”

Meanwhile, Ince has rated Santa Cruz ‘50-50’ for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Middlesbrough at Ewood Park.

The Paraguayan was absent for last weekend’s draw at Bolton with a hamstring strain.