Steve Bruce's stance on adding familiar faces ahead of Blackpool's big summer of recruitment
Blackpool boss Steve Bruce wouldn’t be against recruiting players he’s already worked with this summer.
The Seasiders face a huge transfer window, as they look to boost their squad in order to build on last season’s ninth place finish in League One and ensure they are in the top six this time next year.
Bruce arrived on the Fylde Coast back in September, and quickly made changes. A shift in system saw a number of players depart Bloomfield Road, with the squad being trimmed down in January.
After previously recruiting for a wing-back system under former head coach Neil Critchley, Blackpool will now firmly turn their attention to ensuring they’ve got a team that can play 4-4-2.
With a managerial career stretching back to 1998, Bruce has worked with his fair share of players, with a number of success stories along the way.
When asked if he would look at some of his more recent past contacts this summer, he responded: “If you know a player when you try to get them then that helps of course.
“We had a successful recruitment spell in January, and we will try our utmost in the summer months and see what we can put together.”
Change at Bloomfield Road
Bruce has stated on a number of occasions that it’ll be a big summer of change for Blackpool.
This has already been reflected with the retained list, which confirmed six senior players would depart Bloomfield Road at the end of their contracts next month.
Discussing the search for new figures to come into the Seasiders dressing room, Bruce admitted there were hundreds of names for him to look through.
“Everyone associated with Blackpool wants to be up and around it (in the top six), I’m jealous of those fighting for the play-offs - that’s where we’ve got to go, and that's where we’ve got to aim for,” he said last earlier this month.
“We’ve been much better since January, we made some big calls then, and of course it’s going to be a big summer of turnaround again.
“Can we get them in, and can we get them settled? Can we get a new squad together that can mount a challenge?
“I’ve got hundreds of names to keep me busy, it is what it is - it’s what we’re here for.”
Full retained list
Remaining under contract:
Rob Apter, Zac Ashworth, Tom Bloxham, Terry Bondo, Oliver Casey, Hayden Coulson, Lee Evans, Ryan Finnigan, Ashley Fletcher, CJ Hamilton, James Husband, Spencer Knight, Kylian Kouassi, Andy Lyons, Josh Miles, Albie Morgan, Dan Sassi, Theo Upton.
Contract option exercised on:
Jake Beesley.
In contract discussions with:
Sonny Carey, Matthew Pennington
Offered professional terms:
Johnson Opawole
New contract signed:
Harvey Bardsley
Players leaving the Club:
Mackenzie Chapman, Jake Daniels, Kwaku Donkor, Jordan Gabriel, Tyler Hill, Jaden Jones, Alex Lankshear, Jack Moore, Oliver Norburn, Richard O’Donnell, Josh Onomah, Jordan Rhodes.
Loan players returning to parent Clubs:
Elkan Baggott (Ipswich Town), Niall Ennis (Stoke City), Odel Offiah (Brighton & Hove Albion), Sammy Silvera (Middlesbrough), Harry Tyrer (Everton).
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