Defender shares why Blackpool stood out above Huddersfield Town and Port Vale following Sheffield Wednesday exit

Blackpool’s new recruit Michael Ihiekwe states the club’s target is clear - with Steve Bruce’s ambition being one of the key factors behind his move to Bloomfield Road.

The centre back will officially join the Seasiders at the beginning of next month after penning a three-year deal with the Fylde Coast outfit.

Following his release from Sheffield Wednesday, the 32-year-old was linked with a number of clubs before being confirmed as a Blackpool player last week.

Both Huddersfield Town and Port Vale were reportedly interested in Ihiekwe, but neither could outweigh the Seasiders’ key selling points.

“You’d be silly not to listen to other clubs and their pitches, but as soon as I met Steve Bruce it was a big thing for me to work with someone like that,” the defender said.

“He told me about the club, its ambitions, and what the plans are. Straightaway - that was top of my list. He was a big difference maker.

“I’ve had in the past where managers are calling you all of the time and applying pressure; obviously you’ve got to do that to a certain degree, but he had a really nice balance of giving me time and letting me make my own decision.

“I was in contact with Downesy (David Downes) first, he was a big part of it. He’s a brilliant guy. He brought me in at Wednesday, so I had plenty of conversations with him before I signed here. Knowing him from before, I had that trust in him.

“I still want to be ambitious and play in the league above, so hopefully we can make that happen. You need a strong backbone at this level, and the squad is really good at the minute.

“Hopefully we can make a few good adjustments, start the season well, and go from there.”

Sheffield Wednesday exit

Ihiekwe is no stranger to enjoying success in League One, having previously won promotion to the Championship on four occasions, with three coming with Rotherham United and the other being with Wednesday.

During his time at Hillsborough, the defender made 82 appearances for the Owls in total, and after initially being out of favour in the first half of last season, he fought his way back to be a key performer for Danny Röhl’s in his last few months in South Yorkshire.

Despite his strong displays in the Championship, Ihiekwe wasn’t offered a new deal by the Owls.

“That’s football for you, managers and staff make certain decisions, and you’ve got to deal with that,” he added.

“There’s a great group of lads and staff there, so I wish them nothing but the best.

“I’ve got fond memories from my time there, we had ups and downs. I had a bad knee injury in my first season, but I was able to get back for the play-offs to get promoted. I enjoyed my time there.”

Defensive competition at Bloomfield Road

Ihiekwe became Blackpool’s second signing of the window, following the addition of Fraser Horsfall less than 24 hours before.

The centre back, who was part of the Stockport County side that won promotion to League One, has penned a four-year deal with the Seasiders following the expiry of his contract with the Hatters, and will be looking to build on a strong campaign at Edgeley Park in the third tier.

Olly Casey has been a key figure at the back at Bloomfield Road in recent times, and will form part of the defensive competition alongside the two new signings next season.

“That’s a strong group of centre backs,” Ihiekwe added.

“It only bodes well because you can push each other on throughout the season because you want to keep your shirt.

“I always want to improve, and I’ve still got plenty of years of playing.”

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