'Not good enough' - Ex-Blackpool coach pinpoints what went wrong under Steve Bruce
Steve Bruce was sacked by Blackpool over the weekend - with the club currently sat in the bottom four in League One.
Former Blackpool assistant coach Steve Thompson states it’s been concerning to see the way the club have underperformed so far this season.
Steve Bruce was sacked from his position as Seasiders boss at the weekend, after losing seven of his opening 11 games in League One - with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to AFC Wimbledon being the 64-year-old’s final outing in the Bloomfield Road dugout.
Steve Agnew and Stephen Clemence have also parted ways with the Fylde Coast outfit, while Stephen Dobbie and Steve Banks have taken interim charge ahead of the upcoming meeting with Stockport County.
Thompson knows Blackpool well having worked under the likes of Simon Grayson and Ian Holloway during his time with the club, as well taking caretaker charge on a number of occasions.
The ex-Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City midfielder has seen the Seasiders a number of times this season while on radio duty, and admits it was clear the decision concerning Bruce’s future was coming.
“We’re a result oriented game, and the results have been disappointing,” he said.
“Steve (Bruce) and all of his staff will be disappointed - and the players should be as well.
“There’s been a lot of players who have underperformed this season. You can mention shape and a lot of things, but players can adapt and go and affect the game.
“You look where Blackpool are in the table, Steve and his coaches all know it’s not good enough for the club. They’ve been in it long enough and it was probably the right decision to make. The fans showed their disapproval with what’s happening.
“The biggest disappointment is the lack of goals in the team from all departments - you can’t just blame the strikers; the defenders have got to step up and midfielders need to chip in.
“The manner in which they conceded goals was a worry as well. Teams knew where the weaknesses were and targeted them.
“It’s been a big worry - conceding goals and the lack of goals. The league position reflects that things aren’t right.”
Fitness issues
A major problem for Blackpool has been fitness issues, with a number of players looking off the boil throughout the opening two months of the campaign.
“You’ve got all the technology and all of the stats, so there’s no excuses,” Thompson added.
“If I thought someone wasn’t fit, you get them in. To get people up to speed you need to work them at the training ground or you get as many friendlies behind-closed-doors as you can.
“You need lads fit and ready to go, otherwise you start picking up little niggles. They need to get up to speed and do it quickly.”
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