'Long hard look at myself:' Blackpool striker pinpoints factors behind change in fortunes and addresses summer links with Wigan Athletic

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Kyle Joseph states he’s delighted to be able to show people what he’s about after putting his tough debut season with Blackpool behind him.

The striker made the move to Bloomfield Road from Swansea City last summer, but arrived on the Fylde Coast with an injury, before suffering another on his debut for the club.

Following his eventual return to action, the 23-year-old found it hard to get a consistent run of games under his belt, and appeared to be out of favour at times under former Seasiders manager Neil Critchley.

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Joseph was able to enjoy a big pre-season to put himself in the best possible position to get his career in Tangerine up and running.

The forward has proven to be a key man since the appointment of Steve Bruce back in September, and is currently Blackpool’s top scorer, with six goals under his belt throughout the first half of the current campaign.

“It’s what I’ve wanted since I’ve come to the club,” Joseph said.

“I’ve finally got myself fit and into a good place both physically and mentally. Since the manager first came in, he’s shown really good trust in me, so it’s about repaying that.

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“I had a really tough time last year - I wasn’t playing as much as I would’ve liked, and I probably wasn’t playing in the right position.

“I had lads who were miles ahead of me in terms of fitness so I was trying to catch up to them, so I found it tough, but this summer has done me good - it was really important for me to come back and stake my claim.

“I had a long hard look at myself in the mirror and accepted I wasn’t good enough last season, but I knew I had a chance to make it right, and I feel like I’ve done that.

“When you’re fully fit you can show your best in your best position, but when you’re not you’re shoehorned in. That’s down to me as well. I could’ve come back in a lot better way when I was injured, but that’s in the past now, and I’ve put it behind me. It was a good learning curve for me, and a big eye opener to kick on.

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“Fans probably see me in a different way now, as they can probably see the type of player I am and what I give. That’s massive because I’ve always been someone who likes to build a connection with fans because they play a big part.”

Joseph’s future at Bloomfield Road seemed uncertain back in the summer, with the striker linked with a move to former club Wigan Athletic at one stage.

“There’s news everywhere in the transfer window,” he added.

“My sole objective was to come back and make sure wherever I was, I was in the team. There was interest in the summer, and was I settled? - Probably not. There was a bit of unrest where I didn’t feel like they were going to get the best out of me.

“Everything happens for a reason, and it didn’t come off. Then the new manager came in, and I couldn’t be happier.

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“It’s a funny game, football. You can go from one feeling to another so quickly. I look back now and think it was a time where I showed resilience and stayed strong. I came in and did my work.

“The change of staff has really helped me to develop my game.”

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