Ian Evatt has admitted the process of getting Blackpool where they want to be won’t happen overnight

Ian Evatt remains confident he can turn Blackpool’s fortunes around after suffering his first defeat as Seasiders boss at Burton Albion.

But the 44-year-old has said patience will be needed as he looks to restore confidence and belief within the Bloomfield Road dressing room - and gain the full trust of the players he inherited back in October.

The former Blackpool defender has made a very encouraging impact since he replaced Steve Bruce at the helm.

The team were sitting rock bottom of the League One table with just two wins from their opening 13 games, and four points off safety as a season that had promotion aspirations at the beginning turned into one where surviving relegation remains the priority.

Since then, the Seasiders have doubled their number of league wins, have moved up three places in the table and progressed to the second round of the FA Cup - all thanks to a three-game winning streak last experienced at the end of March.

Defeat at Burton was a reminder, though, that there remains plenty of work to do to get Blackpool back competing where they need to be and that the journey both Evatt and the club are now will have its ups and downs.

The former Bolton boss is comfortable with that, however, insisting the effort he and his team will put into the process will be rewarded.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Leyton Orient, Evatt said: “Obviously we're disappointed (with the Burton loss), frustrated and we should feel like that because it's never nice to lose football matches.

“I think what I've learned (from it) is nothing different to what I expected, really - we're going to have highs and lows.

“It's going to be a little bit inconsistent to start with and there's context behind that. This is a team that was low on confidence. We were bottom of the league when I came in and getting used to winning every week is going to take time.

“Also, the injuries we've got, we've got eight injuries and the lads that are available at the moment are giving me absolutely everything and they've been fantastic. But just having the ability to change and freshen up will help us in the next few weeks. Hopefully, we're going to see that ease a lot more.

“We will get better and we will improve. But as I said before, it's about managing the lows as well as the highs.

“We had a huge high against Cardiff and that was a low on Saturday and that's how it's going to be in the near future.

“Obviously, we're on a journey here and it's a process and we want to get this club back where it belongs. But that doesn't happen overnight. It takes hard work, it takes dedication and we're willing to do that and do everything we can to make us better.

“But for now, just a little bit of patience that it's going to be a little bit up and down, a little bit bumpy. But what journey isn't?

“It's just about us staying consistent with our messaging, staying consistent with our process and doing all we can to make the players better and support them.”

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