Blackpool have announced that another former manager will be back in the dugout, as Neil Critchley is back at Bloomfield Road. Critchley has seemingly fended off competition from a few names to take control for a second time around, as confirmed via a statement on the clubs website.
The appointment of the former Seasiders boss has already divided opinion within the fan base with a lot of fans wanting a new start, or Stephen Dobbie to get the chance to pick-up where he left off last season.
The Blackpool board however, have gone with what they know and have put the trust in Neil Critchley who previously won promotion with Blackpool from League One in his first full season.
Previous Spell
Neil Critchley boasted a decent 41.4% win ratio at the Seasiders, winning 39 out of his 94 games including a promotion and consolidating Championship football with the Tangerines.
Blackpool achieved safety in February in his first campaign at Championship level, but results and the quality of football did tail off towards the end of the season, winning just two of their last 10 games.
The appointment has divided opinion because of the nature of how the former QPR and Aston Villa assistant left the club previously. Neil Critchley signed a long term deal at the Seaside only to leave the club with no message or statement, this left the fan base confused, angry and frustrated after building something very special in the two years he had with Blackpool.
Club Statement: Neil Critchleyhttps://t.co/mEGIHBTz33 pic.twitter.com/pVVbn0QVU9
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) June 2, 2022
Critchley got sacked in his role as Aston Villa assistant, and then as QPR boss where he had an 8% win ratio. Critchley has undoubtedly got a lot of making up to the do with the Blackpool supporters but could he be the man to guide Blackpool back at the first time of asking?
Blackpool are going into the new season on the back of a campaign to forget in the Championship. The Seasiders were relegated last season and are now left with a squad that needs a lot of rebuilding if they are to give League One a go next campaign.
Blackpool have lost the likes of Lewis Fiorini, Curtis Nelson, Keshi Anderson and Josh Bowler so will need to add a lot of quality if they want to compete in a tough league next season.
Editor’s View
I personally believe that the return of Critchley is a huge plus for Blackpool, going into a difficult 2023/24 League One campaign, but it certainly gives them a stronger advantage, heading into the summer window.
Managers returning to a club, where they’ve enjoyed success before, always brings risks of it’s own and he will need to be cautious in that respect. However, I do believe Critchley will do an excellent job with the Seasiders and will be desperate to take them back into the Championship.
