Ben Burgess: Nobody can defend an indefensible season

A season of turgid mundane tactics that have produced a ridiculously low total of just 40 goals.

All around social media people have been posting past interviews from Blackpool players and the manager about how ‘great’ the club was and even back in November Neil McDonald was talking about the play-offs!

It seems like this whole campaign has been full of preposterous predictions from those on the playing and management side.

They just never seemed to have a true grip on reality and the dire situation Blackpool have sleep walked into.

By all means stay positive but at some point you need to face the reality of your situation and start to right the many wrongs.

McDonald seems like he’s had enough, whether he walks or gets the inevitable chop could well come down to compensation.

He described his players as an ‘embarrassment’ in the second half capitulation to Peterborough United last week.

I’d go as far as to say that the majority of those players have been the same all season.

There have been some decent performances from a few players like Tom Aldred and Luke Higham, shining like a beacon amongst the mediocrity of their team-mates.

This is completely McDonald’s team and he will be devastated at the way they have performed for him, but I still believe his negative tactics have stifled a lot of the potential creativity in the side.

Why sign someone as creative and talented as Mark Yates and then refuse to play him?

Blackpool needed to get big results in the last two games of the season yet, instead, they limped to 4-0 and 5-1 defeats.

What does that say about the mental strength of those players?

The inevitable questions will arise about what will happen next to the Seasiders, but there’s only really one family that can decide that.

The fans have voted with their feet all season and that will be magnified when the number of season ticket sales for next season are announced.

Visits to the likes of Barnet and Newport next year do not whet the appetite.

The statement from the club that was announced on Monday was full of apologies and promises to learn from the mistakes they hold themselves accountable for.

It sounds distinctly like the false dawn at a similar time a year ago.

The club tried to put a positive spin on things by stressing that they’ve changed their recruitment policy and now have players on longer contracts to provide long term stability.

It’s not about tying random obscure and unproven players to long contracts, it’s about looking after those who’ve done well for you.

The last few years are littered with players who would have loved to stay and fight for Blackpool if they were given half a chance.

Will a new manager make a difference? What kind of manager could transform the clubs fortunes? Who would even want the job?

With all these questions in mind I believe it must be someone who knows about the club and it must be someone who really cares about the club.

When you look at ex-Pool players in management now, the options look sparse.

Andy Morrell did well at Wrexham and continues to do a good job with little funds at Tamworth.

I’m not sure that Micky Mellon would even be interested in it.

Just maybe though, it’s time to be brave and give someone, with little experience but all the right qualities, the job.

Brett Ormerod, Keith Southern and Michael Jackson all spring to mind as strong characters who have a passion for Blackpool FC, all of whom would be supported by the long suffering fans.