Blackpool interim coach shares update on his position as he reacts to EFL Trophy win over Nottingham Forest U21s
Blackpool booked their place in the next round of the EFL Trophy with a group game to spare after claiming a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest U21s at Bloomfield Road.
Stephen Dobbie is remaining focussed on preparing Blackpool’s first-team squad - as the search for a new permanent head coach continues.
The former Seasiders striker has been in interim charge since the sacking of Steve Bruce earlier this month, and is preparing to still be in the dugout for Saturday’s League One meeting with Wycombe Wanderers at Bloomfield Road.
So far, the 42-year-old has overseen a 1-0 defeat to Stockport County and a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest U21s in the EFL Trophy.
Discussing his current situation, Dobbie said: “We’ve reviewed the game from Saturday (against the Hatters), and we’ll continue to work hard until there’s any conversations. Every game is a must-win for this club.
“I’ve not heard any different for this weekend, so whatever the club needs from me, I’m here, and I’ll crack until I get a phone call to tell me anything different.
“The boys will have a day off, then it’ll be straight into work. We’ll tell them what we want from them in and out of possession, and work towards Saturday. The boys will be ready - that’s for sure. The fans deserve a good performance.”
Reaction to Nottingham Forest U21s win
Emil Hansson and Josh Bowler found the back of the net for Blackpool either side of a Kalum Thompson equaliser in the EFL Trophy group game against Forest on Tuesday night.
Dobbie was pleased to see his side book their place in the next round, and for a number of youngsters to make the most of their opportunities.
“It’s great to see so many young players on the pitch,” he stated.
“We’re down to bare bones in the first-team squad, so it’s good to get a little run out for some of those players while managing their minutes, but I thought the youth players were great.
“It’s fantastic for the academy, we want to see the young players playing in front of the fans to see what they’re about.
“Could we have played better? - Probably, yeah, but at the end we had two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old in defence, so it’s pleasing the academy is going in the right direction.
“The main thing for the club is to get through and to bleed some of the young players in. We’re in the next round, so it’s good to do that and prepare for Saturday.
“They’ve been working hard in the U18s, and they’re progressing through their individual learning, so getting them up with the first-team will help them be better players.”
While some of the Seasiders’ youngsters were able to impress on Tuesday night, it was still a quiet evening for the majority of the senior players involved.
There was also a moment to forget for Franco Ravizzoli and Fraser Horsfall, as the pair collided with each other to leave an open goal for Thompson to score.
“I was disappointed with the goal, as you’d expect, but I’m thinking about no injuries because we’ve got to prepare right for Saturday,” Dobbie noted.
“It was just about minutes. You try to implement your style of play, but you’ve got so many kids and you know at 45 minutes you’ve got players coming on who haven’t really trained with the first-team players.”
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