OPINION: What now in Blackpool’s search for a new manager?

Oxford United refused the Seasiders permission to speak to their manager Karl Robinson, before Swindon Town rewarded Richie Wellens with a new contract after turning down Blackpool’s admiring glances.

The boat also appears to have sailed on the chances of former Luton Town boss Nathan Jones taking over the hotseat, which makes for quite a confusing, muddled picture.

From what I understand, neither Ian Evatt nor Paul Heckingbottom are being considered either, so back to square one it is...

Robinson is certainly someone that fits in with the profile of manager the club’s hierarchy are looking to attract.

The U’s played Blackpool off the park at Bloomfield Road at the beginning of the season, somehow transpiring to lose 2-1 – a result that had more to do with luck than judgement on Pool’s part.

The style of Oxford’s play won’t have gone unnoticed by those at the top responsible for choosing the man to replace Simon Grayson.

Robinson has transformed Oxford’s fortunes since he took the helm at the Kassam Stadium in March 2018, turning them into a side that harbours genuine hopes of sealing promotion to the Championship.

They currently sit in eighth in League One, just a point off those all-important top six places.

It isn’t just the results that will have attracted Simon Sadler, Ben Mansford and co; it will have been his high pressing, high tempo style of play that Blackpool fans are screaming out for after the more pragmatic, stodgy displays served up by Grayson.

After news broke of Blackpool’s approach on Tuesday night, not long before their game against Bolton, it was only a matter of time until Oxford issued a rebuttal.

It came on Wednesday morning, the club confirming they had turned down the request.

It was all done very politely, Oxford even thanking Blackpool for going through the right channels and doing things the ‘proper’ way.

Let’s not be naive, though. Would Blackpool have made such a noticeable sign of intent without prior communication with Robinson?

Robinson, or his representatives at least, must have indicated there was some interest in taking the Bloomfield Road hotseat.

The former MK Dons and Charlton Athletic boss, who turned out for the Seasiders as a youngster, is clearly angling for financial backing from his owner.

Is he just using this vacancy on the Fylde coast to get what he wants at Oxford? Or is there genuine interest?

Oxford sold two of their hottest properties to Brentford towards the end of the January transfer window for a combined £2m fee.

Robinson has since spoken of his frustration at the club’s failure to bring in new players with the available cash.

Targeting a manager as successful as Robinson is a sure sign of Blackpool’s ambitions under Sadler.

I think it’s fair to say their search is not going anywhere near as well as they would have hoped.

Simon Rusk, the Under-23 coach at Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, became the latest name to enter the bookies’ odds earlier in the week.

As I have argued in previous columns, there’s no rush whatsoever given Blackpool’s league position. It’s not like they’re fighting for promotion or relegation, is it?

David Dunn is also doing a solid job as caretaker boss and has the respect of the board, who admire the way he’s wanting his side to play.

The chances of Dunn being given kept in caretaker charge until the end of the season increase day by day.

While Blackpool might have only won one of the three games Dunn has taken charge of, the performances have been much improved and the entertainment on offer has increased sizeably.

Now the Seasiders need to turn that form into another result, as faltering Ipswich Town stand between them and their first back-to-back league wins since November.

The Tractor Boys are bang out of form at the minute, slipping out of the automatic promotion picture and down to ninth in the League One table.

It follows a dismal run of form from Paul Lambert’s side, who have lost four of their last six and won just four of their last 22 games in all competitions.

Having dropped down from the Championship last season, expectations are understandably high at Portman Road this season.

Lambert is a man under pressure, despite signing a new five-year contract just a couple of months ago.

Ipswich will be without their top goalscorers this weekend in James Norwood and Kayden Jackson, so Pool must get on the front foot again and capitalise on their woes.