Neil Critchley 'sounded out'

The Seasiders are on the lookout for a permanent head coach, albeit an appointment is unlikely to be made until the end of the season.
It leaves the Seasiders seven points adrift of safety with just six games remaining, all but confirming their relegation back to League One.

Development squad boss Stephen Dobbie will take charge until the end of the season, assisted by Matt Blinkhorn and Steve Banks.

According to Darren Witcoop of the Sunday Mirror, Critchley is in the frame for a surprise return.
“Blackpool have sounded out Neil Critchley to return to Bloomfield Road for a second stint as manager, although any decision is now likely to be taken in the summer,” he wrote.

The Gazette understands the club’s board members were previously split about bringing Critchley back, although this could well have changed given recent developments.

The 44-year-old is currently out of work after a tough year, following Steven Gerrard out of the door at Aston Villa before lasting only 71 days as QPR boss.

Elsewhere, it’s been reported that Richie Wellens, who is about to seal promotion from League Two with Leyton Orient, and club legend Charlie Adam have been spoken to about the vacancy.

It’s understood Leam Richardson is also a name that could be spoken to, although it’s worth noting the club often like to speak to as many managers as possible before whittling them down.
Sporting director Chris Badlan, the man responsible for compiling the shortlist, also left the club last week in somewhat acrimonious circumstances.

No official reason was given for his departure, with the club releasing a blunt 25-word statement.
“Blackpool Football Club can confirm that sporting director Chris Badlan has left the club with immediate effect,” the Seasiders said.
“The club will be making no further comment.”
The amount of cash you could release from your home might surprise you…The amount of cash you could r
 
Simonized said:
The Seasiders are on the lookout for a permanent head coach, albeit an appointment is unlikely to be made until the end of the season.
It leaves the Seasiders seven points adrift of safety with just six games remaining, all but confirming their relegation back to League One.

Development squad boss Stephen Dobbie will take charge until the end of the season, assisted by Matt Blinkhorn and Steve Banks.

According to Darren Witcoop of the Sunday Mirror, Critchley is in the frame for a surprise return.
“Blackpool have sounded out Neil Critchley to return to Bloomfield Road for a second stint as manager, although any decision is now likely to be taken in the summer,” he wrote.

The Gazette understands the club’s board members were previously split about bringing Critchley back, although this could well have changed given recent developments.

The 44-year-old is currently out of work after a tough year, following Steven Gerrard out of the door at Aston Villa before lasting only 71 days as QPR boss.

Elsewhere, it’s been reported that Richie Wellens, who is about to seal promotion from League Two with Leyton Orient, and club legend Charlie Adam have been spoken to about the vacancy.

It’s understood Leam Richardson is also a name that could be spoken to, although it’s worth noting the club often like to speak to as many managers as possible before whittling them down.
Sporting director Chris Badlan, the man responsible for compiling the shortlist, also left the club last week in somewhat acrimonious circumstances.

No official reason was given for his departure, with the club releasing a blunt 25-word statement.
“Blackpool Football Club can confirm that sporting director Chris Badlan has left the club with immediate effect,” the Seasiders said.
“The club will be making no further comment.”
The amount of cash you could release from your home might surprise you…The amount of cash you could r
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Is Carol Vorderman up for the role too 😆
 
No I wouldn’t want Critchley back, I could never trust him again, also his personal credibility and reputation as a Coach/Manager have all greatly diminished since he walked out on Blackpool less than a year ago. Critch made his bed and should be left to lie in it. He would also no doubt want to bring back those 2 Assistants and I couldn’t stand either of them. I am also sure Critch would walk away again if Stevie G comes a calling when he inevitably gets his next Manager job. Imagine if Critch couldn’t repeat his previous success, the Blackpool fans would be on his back and the whole cycle would commence again. Also imagine if Critch started well and then reintroduced his fist pumping and kissing the badge music hall routine, how would that go down with the fans? It could be the Michael Appleton appointment all over again, this time with bells on. I hope the BFC Board bring in somebody completely new with experience and no baggage and stop recycling previous Managers and as an alternative only considering former Players who people think can step up to the role. I also think they need to wait until the end of this season to make this crucial appointment as the pool of available Managers will be much bigger than what it is today.
 
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AmericanTangerine said:
Don't entirely hate it, think this would be more like Luton re-appointing Nathan Jones than Grayson or Apple coming back.

He'd need to say something very convincing to the fans to get them on board again and I am certain there'd be a fair bit of fans who wouldn't back him just like Apple this year...
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Which is why it shouldn't happen.

Fresh start or popular ex player with experienced number 2 for me.
 
JJpool said:
Which is why it shouldn't happen.

Fresh start or popular ex player with experienced number 2 for me.
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But those fans would absolutely get behind him immediately if he won a few games in a row.

I'm sure if he came back he'd make some sort of statement or video..

He knows the squad, was great at League 1 level and is objectively the best manager on the market right now who might be available.

I'd give Leam Richardson a ring too along with Wellens and Simpson, but it's not a bad shout at all is it?

The club have already fucked up with two former managers being re-appointed, so third times the charm, right? 😅
 
He didn't fail when he was here before, and on that basis alone, I wouldn't be against the proposal. It would also conveniently resurrect the 'project' which we certainly appear to have abandoned of late.
 
How many companies would even think about re-employing someone who walked out on them at virtually no notice? Would SS do that in his business world? I can't believe he would.
Hopefully this us just normal Press speculation/ bullshit.
Nor would anyone with any successful business acumen consider employment on the grounds of sentiment. So forget any ex-players unless they've proved that they can walk the walk. And I don't include Wellens in that. Far more failures than success.
 
AmericanTangerine said:
But those fans would absolutely get behind him immediately if he won a few games in a row.

I'm sure if he came back he'd make some sort of statement or video..

He knows the squad, was great at League 1 level and is objectively the best manager on the market right now who might be available.

I'd give Leam Richardson a ring too along with Wellens and Simpson, but it's not a bad shout at all is it?

The club have already fucked up with two former managers being re-appointed, so third times the charm, right? 😅
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It's a bit like going back to an ex who left you, the connection isn't there as much.

When he's fist pumping the north people believed in him, they wont nowas much as he ran off without saying a word.

You can't recreate that buzz, yes winning will help and he could have people on board again, but not to the same level, not initially at least. Plus if we have tough spells it won't be like last time.

I'd personally be OK with him but many wouldn't so I would say no. People were looking forward to the QPR game to give him some stick.
 
TBH I’m not sure what to make of this rumour or not. He certainly left us in the lurch but who wouldn’t want go to a Prem team to coach at that level and earn more money, but I'd like to understand why he didn’t leave a simple message to the fans (like Richard Keogh did) was it because Villa prevented him doing this or just couldn’t be arsed? I know we have no divine right for him to do this but it was the least he could have done having said that it’s not the end of the world. Could he be trusted again and that’s the question really?
 
KhonKaenSeasider said:
He didn't fail when he was here before, and on that basis alone, I wouldn't be against the proposal. It would also conveniently resurrect the 'project' which we certainly appear to have abandoned of late.
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Yes he certainly did fail last time he was here, he walked out without any notice or an apology or thanks to the fans and it could be strongly argued that his departure was a major factor in the position we find ourselves today. Loyalty is two way and there is no way Critch should be invited back purely because his own project has failed twice. Critch has moved on and so should BFC.
 
TangerineBayern said:
TBH I’m not sure what to make of this rumour or not. He certainly left us in the lurch but who wouldn’t want go to a Prem team to coach at that level and earn more money, but I'd like to understand why he didn’t leave a simple message to the fans (like Richard Keogh did) was it because Villa prevented him doing this or just couldn’t be arsed? I know we have no divine right for him to do this but it was the least he could have done having said that it’s not the end of the world. Could he be trusted again and that’s the question really?
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When you say could he be trusted again what do you mean by that? To not leave? Any manager would be off the second they think they have a better opportunity elsewhere and being paid a lot more money.
 
Great idea , then at Christmas when we’re bottom of league 1 we can ask Colin Calderwell to come back and coach the defence.
What could go wrong 🤷‍♂️
 
King Billy said:
When you say could he be trusted again what do you mean by that? To not leave? Any manager would be off the second they think they have a better opportunity elsewhere and being paid a lot more money.
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l could have worded it slightly differently KB l suppose, but the majority of fans took Critch to their hearts and perhaps vice versa and when he left in the manner in which it happened could that relationship be trusted again?
 
TangerineBayern said:
l could have worded it slightly differently KB l suppose, but the majority of fans took Critch to their hearts and perhaps vice versa and when he left in the manner in which it happened could that relationship be trusted again?
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Football fans are fickle. If he’s winning the fans will love him. If he’s losing we are back to how he’s a traitor. Pretty simple really.
 
Festerlegs said:
How many companies would even think about re-employing someone who walked out on them at virtually no notice? Would SS do that in his business world? I can't believe he would.
Hopefully this us just normal Press speculation/ bullshit.
Nor would anyone with any successful business acumen consider employment on the grounds of sentiment. So forget any ex-players unless they've proved that they can walk the walk. And I don't include Wellens in that. Far more failures than success.
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Football is a different beast

Mourinho sacked by Chelsea goes back to Chelsea
Lampard same
Ancelotti Real Madrid

Clubs routinely spending above their means making losses year in year out gambling on a promotion

It’s a crazy business not a normal one
 
King Billy said:
Football fans are fickle. If he’s winning the fans will love him. If he’s losing we are back to how he’s a traitor. Pretty simple really.
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Correct fans are very fickle but even at Peterborough when we got a proper tubbing that could easily have been 9 nil the fans were still applauding well most anyway!
 
Love him or hate him I still have a lot of respect for him and believe he’s the man we need. Yes he left on bad terms but He created something special here. Have him back in a heartbeat
 
Haddock said:
Got a bang average League One side promoted and kept them up. Swallow your pride and get him back.
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In fairness we were probably better than bang average with Ekpiteta, Yates, Madine, Sims, Ballard etc But yeah I take your point he got a good tune out of them.
 
seasidepaddle said:
Bring him home!

Those saying no mustn’t have been watching since August - we’ve been shite since he left.

Let’s be real - he’s the best we’re going to get in current situation.
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We were terrible towards the end of last season under Crutch, who could ever forget the 5-0 thrashing at Peterborough and the performance at home against Derby. The other consideration is the salary Critch would now be looking for, he was paid a lot more at both Villa & QPR than when he was at Blackpool, we also don‘t know what the impact of Critch taking a new job would have on his compensation packages from Villa and QPR especially if he is on gardening leave at QPR and is still getting paid.
 
Ball on Fire said:
We were terrible towards the end of last season under Crutch, who could ever forget the 5-0 thrashing at Peterborough and the performance at home against Derby. The other consideration is the salary Critch would now be looking for, he was paid a lot more at both Villa & QPR than when he was at Blackpool, we also don‘t know what the impact of Critch taking a new job would have on his compensation packages from Villa and QPR especially if he is on gardening leave at QPR and is still getting paid.
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Job was done by then - and yes I was at Pboro and it was dreadful. The fans still sung his name for 10 mins after final whistle - now the club is disjointed
 
It’s difficult to believe that after the Appleton debacle the club would want crutch back. Do they NEVER learn. If he comes back count me out remember Peterborough and his failures at Villa and QPR. This idea smells of our CEO who’s title should be CFI,
 
michellebutterflyhotel said:
I’d have Nathan jones or Gary bowyer or Ian evatt rather than critchley tbh
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Nathan Jones wouldn't contemplate moving down to Lg1 I'm afraid and Evatt has got something going with Bolton even if they miss out on promotion. The only way we would get Evatt is if they they have a bad start to next season in Lg1 and we can't afford to wait.

Critchley is a tough one. You can discount his short spell at QPR because it was an impossible situation and you only have to see what has happened there since he left. The Villa departure was more to do with Gerrard and player power. I have no doubts about his coaching credentials but I do have misgivings about how he left without a backwards glance, there was a degree of arrogance about it that is difficult to ignore. He would be a "safe" appointment given his previous time here and you can't argue about his getting the most out of the players available. However, the "safe" option has come back to bite us with Grayson, Appleton and McCarthy falling in that category.

Wellens would definitely not be a "safe" option. His coaching career has been patchy and although I thought he was a good player he put in about 8 transfer requests when he was here! Similar to Evatt he's going well at Orient but would probably view Blackpool as a step up and he would be closer to his roots. I am intrigued by Darryl Clarke at Port Vale, a name who someone put forward yesterday, he has done well at a number of clubs and has had some terrible tragedies to deal with in his life. He is ambitious, determined, a hard worker who gets his teams playing good attractive football.
 
I have one issue, the merits of appointing him again aside, the board of directors never quite seem to read the room as it were. Again like Appleton, Critch would need a fantastic start or the place would turn toxic. Our board strike me as a bunch of smart arses who always think they know best.
 
traffordtang said:
There’s a lot said about the fans opinions but what about the players who were here under him. How did they feel about the way he left and would they want to work with him again.
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Because players are well known for their loyalty.
Certainly none of them would have jumped at the chance to play in the Premier League if the opportunity had arisen.
 
I'd take him back as a number 2, he was a good coach, but not as a manager until he's had time to learn the job from someone more experienced and capable.
 
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