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Canavan's blog: 'You don't know what you're doing'
THE saying who'd be a referee is well known, but most people in the crowd may well have done a better job with the whistle last night than Kevin Friend.
I exaggerate of course. The elderly fella in block E with the dodgy hip and the very thick glasses might have struggled.
But Mr Friend did have a bit of a shocker – although for that we have to be partly thankful.
One of his worst decisions came six minutes from the end. Just as Alan Gow was well placed and about to shoot from 18 yards, the official inexplicably failed to play advantage and gave Blackpool a free-kick in a far less dangerous position, wide on the right, for a foul on Shaun Barker.
"You don't know what you're doing" came the chant, and that was just from the press box. The rest of the stadium was baying for blood, unleashing their frustration after 84 minutes of somewhat odd decisions.
>> Blackpool 2 Wolves 2 - full match report
>> Edwards backs Parkes for Pool job
But from that free-kick, Rob Edwards scored and Pool salvaged a point. The ref was momentarily forgiven, though he was still roundly booed at the end.
Being a ref is a thankless task, of course, but then again so is football management and it's not putting Tony Parkes off.
At the end of this very entertaining contest, he again stated his intention to take over from Simon Grayson – and this performance, coupled with the impressive showing at Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, will have done him no harm.
He has been clever in the respect that he has changed little from the Grayson era. It is the same team shape, same tactics.
He and Steve Thompson have worked on the little things, like set- pieces (from which Pool scored twice last night), as well as making the odd selection change (none more surprising than Ian Harte's inclusion).
What they have done has worked and do not under-estimate the effort and skill it took to hold Wolves. Pool thoroughly deserved a share of the spoils.
The downside is that it was a fourth successive draw and too many draws are not good when you try to stave off relegation.
However, not losing builds confidence, especially when you have just lost your manager.
David Fox is growing into the midfield position, while Shaun Barker is showing signs that he is getting back to his best.
Ian Evatt even got two assists – what's the world coming to!
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 32 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 28 mph
Wind direction: North west
