“When this squad is fully fit it’s a good squad”: Ian Evatt looks forward to Blackpool’s injury list easing
Blackpool head coach is hopeful their injury situation will soon start to ease.
Ian Evatt believes the injury situation during his year in charge of Blackpool is the worst he’s encountered in his head coaching career.
The Seasiders’ boss has dealt with a number of absences across the pitch since taking charge at Bloomfield Road in October 2025.
Central defence has been an especially troublesome area with Michael Ihiekwe, Fraser Horsfall and Josh Earl all injured.
That leaves Olly Casey as Blackpool’s only recognised out-and-out centre-half available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Hornchurch.
“I’d like some more defensive choices,” Evatt acknowledged before training on Thursday.
“We’ve got some choices in some areas but we are where we are; things are getting better on that front which is important for us.
“As I’ve said all along, when this squad is fully fit it’s a good squad.
“We’ve just never really had that but, fingers crossed, that will start to improve.
“I’ve felt since I’ve been here, which is just over a year now, in eight years as a coach I’ve had to firefight the most.
“I’ve never seen anything like this, so hopefully that will turn at some stage and we can start to look to having everyone available.
“I think it correlates with good results when you’ve got availability. If you look at our results, it tends to go hand in hand with winning on a Saturday.
“Fingers crossed we can get that back as soon as we can. We’re doing all we can to make sure that happens but for now, full focus on Saturday.”
Despite those absentees, the onus will be on those selected to ensure Blackpool aren’t making the wrong sort of headlines against a Hornchurch team in the bottom half of the National League table.
“I don’t think we should underestimate their quality,” Evatt warned.
“The key word for me is ‘professional’. Our players have to go from minute one.
Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Seasiders coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. click here
“It doesn’t start when you’re on the pitch and you’re taking part in the 90 minutes.
“It starts beforehand; how we prepare, how we mentally prepare.
“This isn’t a given, this is not a game that you should just go and be entitled to win; you have to earn it.
“Our mentality and mindset is certainly where it needs to be.”