Simon Sadler and Ben Mansford have their say on the appointment of Liverpool's Neil Critchley as Blackpool's new head coach

The 41-year-old has this morning been announced as Blackpool's new head coach, replacing Simon Grayson who was sacked last month.

He leaves his role as Liverpool's Under-23 coach to sign a contract with the Seasiders until the end of the 2022/23 season.

Sadler said: “I would like to welcome Neil as he joins us on our journey and thank Liverpool for the way they have handled our approach.

"The fact that we’ve been able to attract a coach of Neil’s calibre is testament to how this club is now viewed and is a result of the work that has been done here over recent months.

“Neil is a highly-regarded coach who impressed us with his thorough preparation and analysis of the team.

"We want this club to represent the town and community by playing entertaining football, working hard and being organised. We firmly believe that Neil can deliver this and lay down the blueprint for our footballing philosophy.

“Finally, I would like to thank Brett (Gerrity), Linton (Brown) and, particularly, Ben (Mansford) for their hard work during this process and a special thanks to David Dunn and Tommy Johnson for stepping up on an interim basis to take charge of the team.”

One of only 16 coaches in the country to have gained the highest possible qualification in the game, Critchley has held the role of Liverpool's Under-23s coach since the summer of 2017.

He had previously spent four years looking after the Under-18 team.

This season he has even taken charge of Liverpool's first-team on two occasions in the absence of Jurgen Klopp.

Born in Crewe, Critchley was Academy Director at his hometown club for six years between 2007 and 2013.

Chief Executive Ben Mansford said: “I am delighted to welcome Neil to Blackpool FC.

"Neil is one of the most talented coaches in the country and comes with a wealth of experience. From starting his coaching journey, to taking the Liverpool team this season, Neil has committed his professional life to becoming the best.

“When you combine his time spent at Crewe, which ultimately saw him become Academy Director and where the target was to develop individuals, with his seven years at Liverpool, the last three of which were spent with their highly regarded Under-23s, where the team was supreme, I feel we have a standout person to lead Blackpool forwards with our own aims of returning to the Championship and beyond.

“On top of his coaching credentials, Neil is also a great person who is regarded as being a man of real integrity. I can’t wait for Neil to get started and I am looking forward to working with him closely.”