Blackpool's '˜mission impossible' doesn't scare Bowyer

Neil McDonald’s successor spent his first weekend in charge at Bloomfield Road speaking to as many people as possible to find out the causes of the club’s back-to-back relegations.

His first task will be to assemble a coaching staff to work alongside him and to sort out a pre-season tour of Scotland, which is expected to be confirmed in the next couple of weeks.

After getting his feet under the table in the manager’s office, Bowyer was quick to distance himself from the past after it was pointed out that predecessors McDonald and Lee Clark both agreed the job was ‘impossible’.

Instead, Bowyer is concentrating on how he can put things right.

He told The Gazette: “What is impossible? For me, I can only concentrate on the future now.

“You’d have to ask those other managers about what’s happened in the past.

“But it’s up to me now to work hard to improve on those last couple of years.

“I can’t really concentrate on what’s happened there – I just want to concentrate on myself and what I can do here to improve the club.”

Bowyer, who turns 45 later this month, ended his 11-year association with Blackburn last November.

In the months since, Bowyer has been out of the game for the first time in his whole adult life.

Brought up by a dad, Ian, who won the old First Division title and the European Cup twice as a Nottingham Forest player, it’s fair to say football has played a massive part in Bowyer’s life.

He added: “When I was out for six months, it was a time for reflection and looking at what I did well and what I could have improved on at Blackburn.

“I spent that time looking at all those things and how I could take them on to my next job. It scored me some Brownie points with my wife as I was able to take her away for a few weekends, but after that you just get the itch.

“Football is addictive. I’m delighted to be back in now because football has been my life.

“I was brought up around my dad being a professional footballer and then being one myself.”

Bowyer’s appointment came out of the blue on Wednesday after he raced to the top of Pool’s wish-list following talks with Dave Jones, Micky Mellon and others.

Jones was the red-hot favourite after two meetings with the club only for Bowyer to express an interest.

The new manager explained: “It all happened very quickly, to be honest.

“There were possibilities of me going to one or two other clubs, which didn’t come off.

“But this came very quickly and I had to decide whether or not to take the job.

“I want to come and give this a right good go. It’s a challenge I’m really looking forward to.”