Blackpool youngsters benefit from clear and consistent messages
Blackpool’s younger players benefit from clear and consistent messages from the coaching team.
Academy director Ciaran Donnelly believes continuity behind the scenes will help keep pushing Blackpool’s youngsters in their quest to reach the club’s senior squad.
Donnelly, head of academy coaching Matthew Blinkhorn and player pathway manager Neal Eardley have all been in their roles for a number of years.
Current first-team coach Stephen Dobbie succeeded Eardley as U18s head coach in 2024 before stepping up into his present role.
Speaking to Blackpool’s in-house media, Donnelly said that length of service would only assist the next generation of Seasiders.
“Clear messages, consistent messages; that’s what speaks to players,” Donnelly maintained.
“It’s hard being a young player coming through when there’s lots of change and lots of transition.
“It’s good when you’ve got people that you know, people that you’re comfortable with, people that you can express yourself with.
“Then it’s about not becoming over-comfortable, making sure we keep stretching them the whole way because a young player can become quite comfortable in the academy environment.
“Actually, that’s not your end game. Your end game is to get into a first-team environment where it’s dog eat dog, where it’s supporters shouting at you if you don’t perform, where it’s managers dragging you off if you’re not performing and we’ve got to ready them for that as well.
“Whilst we’ve got (a) really good relationship with the first-team staff and it’s nice to have a stable environment for young players to come through, it’s important that we also keep them on their toes, that we keep them pushing and striving and we keep presenting new challenges for them.”