'A shrewd move or another error:' The verdict on Blackpool's appointment of Steve Bruce

To say it was a surprise is an understatement. The 63-year-old’s name wasn’t really on anyone's mind in the aftermath of Neil Critchley’s sacking.

Currently it’s hard to know how to truly feel about it. Obviously he’s been out of work for just under two years after a disastrous stint with West Brom, but the Seasiders have got themselves someone with a great CV.

This could be a really shrewd appointment or a Mick McCarthy-like error. The experience is there, but has his time come and gone?

First of all, we’ll start with a positive. Bruce has a really exciting coaching team. Long-term assistant Steve Agnew makes the move with him to Bloomfield Road, while Richard Keogh and Steven Dobbie have also been given roles.

There’s so many good things to take away from this in particular. Not only are two experienced men at the helm, there’s also two former Blackpool players who have both experienced taking the team on an interim basis.

It’s a good blend of knowing the ins and outs of management, and knowing what the club is about.

If things do go well over the next couple of years, there’s also a couple of options within who could take over next, as both Keogh and Dobbie will be a lot more ready for the role than they are now.

Moving on to on the pitch matters, there’s no doubt Bruce will tighten things up at the back. He’s someone who has managed in the Premier League, so there’s no doubt he’ll be able to highlight problems and quickly fix them.

Obviously a problem a lot of fans had with Critchley was the brand of football, and that’s something that could also be an issue now.

Bruce perhaps isn’t known for playing tiki-taka, but whatever he does try to implement could be a lot more effective.

The Seasiders struggled against certain sides last season, especially away from home, but the new head coach should make them a much tougher team to play against.

He might also build on the attacking positives seen under Keogh’s interim spell, while just having that more stable base at the back.

The fact Bruce has mainly coached at a higher level could be seen as both a good and a bad thing. Dropping down a level could be exactly what he needs at the moment, and he’s certainly one of the biggest names in League One now, but football has changed, and this division has its own set of unique challenges.

Reputation alone won’t be enough to secure success, but it’ll be hard to know what to expect until a few games have passed.

Ultimately, Bruce is a better candidate than a lot of the other names linked in the last fortnight. Younger coaches like Pete Wild and Brian Barry-Murphy would’ve brought their own risks, and a lack of experience that could’ve quickly proved costly.

Richie Wellens was the only person that seemed to tick a lot of the right boxes, but perhaps the timing wasn’t right with him at Leyton Orient.

The Seasiders squad probably do need a safe pair of hands. Bruce will bring outside ideas and a wealth of knowledge to a squad that does have potential.

Yes, there are risks, but it would’ve been the same with any appointment, and this does feel like the safest option.

The fact he’s coached over 1000 professional games shows his pedigree, and his perception at some clubs are probably a bit harsh.

It was an unexpected appointment, but it could prove to be the one Blackpool needs.