OPINION: Blackpool are showing plenty of promise so far

Jordan Thompson has impressed in his time at Bloomfield Road

This is his team now and he’s had enough time to stamp his own authority and identity, perhaps not with signings but certainly with tactics, systems and the like. So how has he done?

Of the 15 games he has taken charge of, whether that be permanently or temporarily, Blackpool have won six, drawn seven and lost just twice.

Ten of those 15 fixtures have been in the league, with three of those resulting in wins, six in draws and just the one defeat.

Just one point has been gained from Pool’s opening two group games in the largely irrelevant Checkatrade Trophy, but a trip to the Emirates to take on Arsenal looms on the horizon in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.

As starts go for a managerial novice, that’s pretty much as good as it gets. Expecting much more is just unrealistic given the situation off the field.

Obviously the Seasiders are drawing far too often, to the extent where McPhillips joked on Tuesday night that it was a relief not to share the points for a change.

But, without stating the obvious, draws are clearly preferable to defeats.

It’s interesting to note that, after 11 games last season, Blackpool were ninth in League One with 18 points to their name, two points better off than their current record.

So there isn’t a great difference between then and now, which is testament to the work McPhillips has done to continue Gary Bowyer’s superb efforts.

That has been very much the theme of McPhillips’ tutelage so far: why change something when it isn’t broken?

The players that have been brought in post-Bowyer, Donervon Daniels and Liam Feeney, were already flagged up on a list of potential targets before McPhillips took over.

The style of play isn’t discernibly different, either, with Blackpool more than capable of playing some lovely stuff while also being equally capable of pragmatism to churn out results.

Some of the patterns of play between the likes of Jay Spearing, Callum Guy and Jordan Thompson has been a joy to watch. But just as pleasing has been the physical nature in which Pool have blown teams away, as they did against QPR in the cup.

A push for the play-offs seems unlikely without a clinical finisher in attack, but the very fact we’re even discussing the chances of a top six finish shows just how well McPhillips has done.