'Quietly confident' - Steve Bruce addresses business Blackpool need to do
Blackpool still have a lot of work to do in the transfer market before the new League One season.
Steve Bruce states Blackpool are well aware of the work they need to quickly do in the transfer market.
The new League One campaign gets underway on August 2, but the Seasiders currently find themselves without a natural winger.
At the start of the summer, Sammy Silvera returned to Middlesbrough following his unsuccessful loan spell, while Sonny Carey made the move to Charlton Athletic as a free agent at the end of his contract.
Since then, Rob Apter has also headed to the Valley for a fee of around £2.5million, despite Blackpool being reluctant to sell.
The club’s remaining wide players are currently out with injuries. CJ Hamilton suffered a dislocated shoulder in a friendly at the weekend and could be out for a minimum of a month, while Tom Bloxham is also a doubt for the opening game of the season against Stevenage.
There’s also a similar shortage up front, with Kylian Kouassi and teenager Terry Bondo being the only back-up options behind Niall Ennis and Ashley Fletcher.
“We’re aware of it,” said Bruce.
“It started last January - we decided that we had to give the whole thing a bit of a revamp because in the last few years we haven’t been good enough to get to where we want to go to.
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but we’re quietly confident that we’ll assemble a squad that will see us through.
“I’m sure we’re working on one or two pieces (before Doncaster) - let’s hope so. If I’m the headline at Oasis then let’s hope there’s a signing so I’m not on the back page with my funny hat on.”
Two nights in Manchester - with one standing out more
A few night’s before the Seasiders’ recent 0-0 draw with Salford City at the Peninsula Stadium, Bruce had spent Sunday evening just down the road at Heaton Park - which proved to be a more enjoyable evening.
The 64-year-old was among the 80,000 people inside the Manchester venue for the conclusion of Oasis’ five-show run in their home city.
The Gallagher brothers and co announced last summer that they were reuniting after 16 years with a number of big shows.
Bruce witnessed the return alongside the likes of his son Alex, former Sunderland defender Phil Bardsley, and ex-Manchester United midfielders Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick.
“Oasis was a wonderful wonderful show, congratulations to them, they were fantastic, better than that tonight (at Salford), that’s for sure,” he stated.
“70,000 were there, it was a wonderful gig. I saw them in 1996, but I was probably the oldest swinger in town the other night.”
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