The South Africa frontman has been limited to a handful of substitute appearances so far this season after returning from the summer break in below-par physical condition.

McCarthy's self-inflicted problems have been difficult to take for Ince, given the 30-year-old plundered 35 goals for the Lancashire club during his first two years in England.

However, an injury-time equaliser in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough at Ewood Park suggested the former Porto frontman may at last be getting to grips with life under Ince.

And the Rovers boss, who believes his side have already frittered away "three or four points" due to wayward finishing over the opening nine games of the season, is confident McCarthy will soon be back to his predatory best.

"Even though we played well against Boro, we created lots of chances but weren't clinical enough - the game should have been dead and buried by half-time," Ince said.

"Benni's been fantastic for the last two weeks. He's been away with South Africa, played a couple of games and scored a couple of goals, he came on against Boro and got a goal.

"(He can be) very important - all the players can. It's going to be a hard season and we haven't got the financial clout that most clubs have got.

"He's a goalscorer, and they can cost millions. Benni, when he gets back to his best, is a very important figure in our team."

Ince insists he was left with no choice but to marginalise McCarthy over the opening weeks of the season.

Of the reasons for the striker's lack of fitness, he said: "It was not taking care of himself. He knows that, and at the end of the day he's a professional footballer and you (have to) come back ready to train.

"He wasn't ready to train, but that's water under the bridge now, he's back, he's smiling and happy, and we need Benni McCarthy if we're going to move forward with this club."

Ince added: "It was disappointing, and Benni knows himself, when you come back for pre-season, you've got to be ready to do it.

"He came back not in the right shape, and he knows it, and it's taken time to get him to where we want him, and he feels confident and where he wants to be.

"He looks sharp in training and looks like he's got that old hunger back - we saw that on Saturday against Boro."

Blackburn resume league action tomorrow night with a tough trip to Aston Villa, who mauled Wigan 4-0 last time out.

Martin O'Neill's team have won plaudits for their football so far this season and currently sit fifth, just six points behind leaders Liverpool.

Ince, however, believes they will struggle to end the stranglehold of the top four this season.

"I don't think it will be this season, and Martin O'Neill will say the same. But I think definitely over the next two or three years, with the financial clout they've got, they will be challenging the big four," he said.

"If we're close to Villa at the end of the season, it will mean we've had a good season."