'To the people in charge' - Steve Bruce shares transfer message to the Blackpool hierarchy
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The 64-year-old was appointed as Seasiders head coach back in September, replacing Neil Critchley and bringing in a new style of play.
Moving away from a wing-back based system has brought positives and negatives. The first month brought a four-game winning run, but once injuries kicked in, a lack of wide players became a problem for those in Tangerine.
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Hide AdBruce has made it clear he wants to add back-up options for Rob Apter and CJ Hamilton this month, but insists it’s not a short-term fix.
With Blackpool currently sat 15th in the League One table, 11 points off the play-offs, a big push will be required to still have something to play for at the latter end of the campaign.
Discussing their current work in the transfer market, Bruce said: “We’re frantically going to work like every other club is at the moment. It’s not going to happen overnight in January, we’ve got to be patient, and look at what the market does. It’s difficult because people don’t want to sell their best players.
“We’ve got too many bodies, so it’s about having less bodies and a little bit more quality - that’s what I’ve put to the people in charge and I think they’re all for that, but that’s not just going to happen this January, that’s for the summer and the window after that.
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Hide Ad“It’s a difficult process but that is the way I’d like it. We’ve got 24 players training today, and that’s far too many.
“I will try my utmost to get the club where it wants to get to. At the moment, it’s going to take a little bit of time. It wasn’t going to happen overnight, so we might need two or three windows to get where I’m trying to get to, and that takes time.”
One player Blackpool have been linked with is Chesterfield winger James Berry, with Football Insider reporting a bid has been made for his services.
The Spireites man is believed to be of interest to the Seasiders on the back of his 10 goals in all competitions during the first half of the season.
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The Derbyshire Times report that the initial approach for the 24-year-old has been turned down, but sources claim a second bid is being lined up.
When asked about the reported bid for Berry, Bruce stated: “I’m not going to give you any names because I believe that would be morally wrong, and I’m from the old school. I’m not going to tell you who we have bid for.”
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