'A whole new level' - Why returning Blackpool striker was left out of pre-season opener
Blackpool overcame AFC Fylde with a 3-2 victory at Mill Farm in their first pre-season friendly of the summer.
Blackpool were without several players for their opening game of pre-season - including striker Kylian Kouassi.
The absences of Michael Ihiekwe and Fraser Horsfall were already expected as they continue to work their way back to full fitness after undergoing surgery for their respective injuries at the end of last term.
Meanwhile, Olly Casey and Josh Bowler also sat out the 3-2 victory over AFC Fylde at Mill Farm, with both expected to be sidelined for the next fortnight.
Kouassi was the other senior player not involved, but probably wasn’t missed as much as the others due to the serious attacking competition in the ranks at Bloomfield Road at the moment.
The forward has become something of a forgotten man on the Fylde Coast as he prepares to enter his fourth season under contract with the Seasiders.
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Blackpool signed the 23-year-old back in 2023 following the conclusion of his contract with Sutton United.
His big physical presence certainly caught the eye, but found his game time restricted due to injury, as he scored five goals and provided two assists 24 outings in all competitions.
Kouassi’s last appearance for Blackpool came back in 2024, with his last two seasons with the club being spent out on loan in League Two with Salford City and Cambridge United respectively.
Both stints were disrupted by hamstring issues, as he registered five goals in 41 fourth tier games across the past 24 months.
The striker has been back with the Seasiders this summer, and has experienced working under Ian Evatt for the first time, following the appointment of the ex-Bolton Wanderers boss back in October.
While Kouassi was out in Spain for the first-team squad’s recent pre-season camp, his head coach is currently easing him back into life in Tangerine - which is why he missed out against Fylde.
“It just comes down to just being intelligent enough to be proactive with our decisions, and not reactive,” Evatt explained.
“Kylian has really enjoyed the pre-season so far, but it’s a whole new level to what he’s seen before, whether that’s the level of detail or the intensity we’re playing out.
“He’s taking time to adjust, and we need to allow that time to adjust.”