CRITCH WANTS EVEN MORE!
DEMANDING Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has urged his players not to become Championship nearly men.
To those looking in from outside, the Seasiders have made an impressive return to the second tier this term after a seven-year absence.
Last season’s League One play-off winners were 15th heading into the weekend and look certain to have a stress-free end to the campaign.
The teams who went up with them have found life tougher in the Championship – Hull were 20th pre-weekend, while second-bottom Peterborough face a real fight to preserve their status.
Yet former Liverpool U23s boss Critchley, who has made a massive impact at Blackpool since taking the reins two years ago, believes his side could be doing even better – and has pointed to recent matches as an example.
The Tangerines were undone by two late Bournemouth goals a couple of weeks ago,
drew 1-1 at Cardiff last weekend and were stung by a late winner from ten-man QPR in midweek.
“The players are an honest group, they give everything, but it’s happened too many times to us this season - games we should have drawn we’ve lost, games we should have won we’ve drawn,” he said.
“If you look at the last three games, we’ve got one point and, in my opinion, it should have been at least five.
“I don’t want this feeling to keep occurring and I don’t want it to be the story of our season. Is it naivety, is it inexperience, is it that we’re pushing forward trying to win the game? Sometimes football is football and you can’t explain everything that happens on the pitch.”
On the plus side, the 43-year-old believes the depth of his squad is improving all the time. It’s just what is required against so many big-hitters in the second tier who have greater resources to work with.
“In my opinion, there are no poor teams in this division,” he said. “You have to play well to win any game.
“We’ve got options off the bench and we are missing some players as well that would make a difference to our team, but it is what it is. The players give everything, they are such an honest group.
“We want to be a team that never settles for a point, we want to go for it.”
Mercurial winger Josh Bowler notched Blackpool’s goal against his former club QPR in midweek and continues to earn acclaim for his displays, but Critchley was keen to praise rookie Oliver Casey for his display against the promotion-chasing Hoops.
Composed
The 21-year-old centre-back, signed from Leeds last summer, made his first Championship start and impressed with a composed display in the heart of defence.
“He’s had to be patient, he’s had a frustrating time this season,” added Critchley. “One or two options for him on loan didn’t quite happen.
“I see what he’s capable of and I trust in him, but he probably hasn’t felt that because I haven’t picked him but he understands why.
“For his debut in this type of game he showed he was more than up to playing at this level. All he needs now is time and opportunity.
“He’s got things to learn and improve but you saw the makings of what could be a good player in the future.”