Leyton Orient boss responds to links with vacant Blackpool job

The Seasiders parted ways with Neil Critchley last week following back-to-back defeats at the start of the new League One season, with Richard Keogh overseeing Saturday’s 4-4 draw with Cambridge United as interim boss.

Wellens knows Blackpool well from his playing days, having scored 11 times in 174 appearances after joining the club from Manchester United in 2000.

The 44-year-old guided Leyton Orient to League One during the 2022/23 campaign, before finishing 11th in the third tier last season.

Earlier this week, the ex-Swindon Town and Doncaster Rovers manager became the bookies’ favourite to succeed Critchley’s as Blackpool’s new head coach.

In a clip shared by Mike Holden, Wellens said: “I don’t know why you’re asking me the question, Blackpool is a club I’ve played for. Do I get frustrated? - Yeah. I look at some Championship managers that haven’t won anything; I’ve won two league titles now for teams that had no right to do that at the start of the season.

“I would like jobs that can give you success, when you have the right to win every single week.

“I’m also very patient and very loyal, and the owners here have been fantastic with me. I want to try to max out and achieve something really special, and if we can do it - great.

“I’m not going to be looking to leave until I feel I’ve taken this club as far as I can take them and I’ve got nothing else to offer them.

“I don’t think we’re there yet. If we just believe and change our mentality. I’ll do my best to do that.

“Blackpool is a club I’ve nearly got a job for in the past. It’s a brilliant football club with brilliant fans, but I haven’t had a phone call off them.”