Does Blackpool defender Doug Tharme have what it takes for Championship football?

Michael Appleton believes Doug Tharme has the right temperament to make the step-up from non-league football.
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The 22-year-old has caught the eye in pre-season with some solid performances in the centre of defence.

The former Southport man was Blackpool’s standout performer in midweek when they edged past Salford City 1-0 at the Peninsula Stadium.Many feared the step-up from the National League North would be too big a gap to bridge for the defender, but Tharme appears to have given himself every opportunity of featuring in Appleton’s first-teams plans.

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“Dougy is sound, he’s going to be fine,” Pool’s head coach told The Gazette.

“He’s aggressive, he’s a big boy and at times he stepped in quite well (against Salford), but I thought he left it late a couple of times where he could have done it a bit earlier. But that will get sharper over time.

“It’s a big step-up for Doug but he’s one of those players that constantly wants information and is always wanting to learn and get better.

“If I’m speaking to two or three of the other defenders, he will be on my shoulder listening to what I’m saying to them - he’s that type of player.

Tharme has been one of Blackpool's standout performers in pre-seasonTharme has been one of Blackpool's standout performers in pre-season
Tharme has been one of Blackpool's standout performers in pre-season
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“That’s quite infectious really. He’s a well-educated lad and he uses the strengths he has to the best of his ability.”

With the recent arrival of Rhys Williams from Liverpool, that does put Tharme a little down the pecking order with the likes of Marvin Ekpiteta and Richard Keogh likely to be ahead of him.

There’s Jordan Thorniley to also factor in as well as James Husband, who can also feature in the centre of defence if required.

If regular game time can’t be guaranteed, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see Tharme loaned out to help aid his development.

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Elsewhere, Lewis Fiorini also performed well on his first start at Salford in midweek, having made a cameo off the bench against Rangers at the weekend.

Appleton has high hopes for the 20-year-old Manchester City midfielder and believes he could be a big player for the Seasiders this season.

“Lewis is a proper footballer,” he said.

“He’s going to get better and better and he’s someone I know very well, so over time he will score goals and make goals for us.”