Blackpool in the Premier League 10 years on: Seasiders' boss warns of hard work ahead

It’s 10 years since Blackpool graced the top flight and we’re retelling the story week-by-week of that sensational season in the big time.
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On this weekend a decade ago the Seasiders could enjoy their international break after rocking the Premier League establishment with a 2-1 win away to Liverpool. But as STEVE CANAVAN reported in The Gazette at the time, boss Ian Holloway was the last one to rest on any laurels...

Ian Holloway remains convinced that key areas of Blackpool’s game must improve if they are to survive in the Premier League despite their outstanding victory at Liverpool last weekend.

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The manager fears that his team’s attention-grabbing start could result in big money bids for his stars in the January transfer window.

Blackpool's last game before the international break saw them win at LiverpoolBlackpool's last game before the international break saw them win at Liverpool
Blackpool's last game before the international break saw them win at Liverpool

But Holloway’s immediate priorities are to get his team passing and defending better.

He stressed: “Every time we clear the ball, it has to be to a tangerine shirt.

“You can’t give the ball away because they will only come back at you again.

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“That doesn’t relieve any pressure. At times we still give the ball away too easily.

“The best teams in the world don’t give the ball away, no matter how tight you get on them they keep passing. That’s what we want to do.”

As for the defensive side, the manager conceded: “The whole team needs to understand where they need to be without the ball.

“That’s what we are not very good at. We weren’t very good at it last year and we aren’t this.

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“We have to try to get used to it and practice it, but I still believe we can score more goals than people at this level and I want the lads to keep doing that.”

But for all this room for improvement, Holloway could not be prouder of his players.

He explained: “We should be bottom of the league if money is anything to go by. This is the best squad I have ever had in my life.

“I want them to be proud of what I’m trying to do and realise I’m still working to try to improve them on the training ground day in and day out.”

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But Holloway is concerned that other managers will rate his players as highly as he does and attempt to prise them away.

“I may be very lucky to hang on to all the players the way it’s going,” he added.

“I value them and other people will – people who can pay them a lot more than I can.

“But they understand what we are trying to achieve here and I’m delighted with everybody because they all have a part to play.”

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Another question is how long Pool can continue to benefit from the element of surprise which has helped them so far.

Holloway explained: “We have surprised whoever we have beaten. I don’t think they expect teams to attack so much in this division.

“The great big clubs more used to (other teams) setting up defensively, soaking up pressure and counter-attacking, I don’t think we can ever do that.”

Elsewhere, Gary Taylor-Fletcher believes the Seasiders can continue to prove their doubters wrong but is unsure what effect the international break will have on their momentum.

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By the time the Seasiders take to the field against Manchester City at Bloomfield Road a week on Sunday, it will have been 14 days since their surprise 2-1 win against Liverpool at Anfield.

Taylor-Fletcher has urged his teammates to maintain their impressive performances.

“A lot of people wrote us off and said we wouldn’t get 10 points all season, so to do it at the beginning of October is a magnificent achievement for the lads,” he said.

“We just need to push on from here now.

“The break comes at a good time but also at a bad time. Our form is going well but it gives us the chance to rest some tired legs and get a little fresher for the next few games.

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“We’ll have a little rest up and then get back to work because we need to start picking up points at home.

“But we’re in a good position in that our away form might also do it for us.”

Pool’s three wins have been on the road, whereas they have taken one point from two games at Bloomfield Road.