Blackpool defender dicsusses life under Bruce, help from assistant and hot weather training

Blackpool Gazette

Hayden Coulson discusses Blackpool's pre-season camp and life under Steve Bruce.

Transcript

00:00So, Hayden, how's the pre-season camp been so far?

00:04Yeah, no, it's been tough. It's been a tough couple of days over here in Spain.

00:09Obviously, pre-season's hard as it is, never mind, but it feels like 40 degrees out there.

00:14So, yeah, the lads are there. The lads have dug deep and dibble.

00:17Are you a natural in the heat, or are you one of those who just try to avoid it?

00:21Yeah, no, I'm a bit of a struggling in the heat, to be honest.

00:24Even on holiday and stuff, I tend to try and get in the shade when I can.

00:27So, yeah, it's been tough, personally.

00:29As players, do you feel the benefit when you are training in these conditions?

00:32Maybe not now when you do feel awful, but down the line?

00:35Yeah, no, obviously, it always helps.

00:37I know the weather back home is nice, but it's nowhere near like this.

00:41So, obviously, getting used to the heat makes you a bit more fitter and stuff to go back next week.

00:46Obviously, you used to play football, you play it all the time, but when it is so hot,

00:50you go to do certain things, you think, well, maybe not.

00:54Yeah, no, obviously, you just tend to try and keep everything the same as you do.

00:58But, as I said, the heat just drains you, kind of takes it out of you.

01:02So, sometimes the quality isn't there, I'd say, but it's 40-odd degrees, isn't it?

01:07So, I think everyone's a bit mackered.

01:09Keeping hydrated at all times?

01:11Yeah, no, you've got to obviously drink plenty of water out here.

01:13Losing weight after football and stuff, after training, obviously, just with it being so hot,

01:19you need to keep hydrated, definitely.

01:21Obviously, a key part of this as well is also bonding with your teammates

01:25and getting to know everyone. So, has that gone to plan?

01:27Yeah, no, it's good. It's good to have the new lads out here as well.

01:30As I said, you're probably with each other nearly every minute of the day.

01:35So, it's good to get to know them and get the group together.

01:39Who are you sharing with in the camp?

01:41I've got my own room this time. Just get your head down and stuff in the afternoon.

01:45It makes it a bit easier.

01:46Who do you have to talk to to get that started?

01:48Nick normally sort everything out, so I think a few of the lads share,

01:51a few of the lads just get their own stuff and just do their own thing.

01:54We've been doing this free time, I know you've not had much yet, but are you part of a golf crew?

01:59Yeah, no, obviously we've had a good couple of days where we've done double sessions.

02:03So, today we've got the first single, so I think a few of the lads are going to get on the course

02:08and see what we can do.

02:10Are you much of a golfer?

02:11I've picked it up in the last year or so, yeah.

02:13So, I'm going to get myself out there and see how it goes.

02:16It seems like if they don't take the football and play golf like this, why is it so popular?

02:20I don't know. It kind of just goes hand in hand, doesn't it?

02:23I'm not too sure. I think it's just because you do get a bit of a free time, even in season and stuff.

02:29I think a few of the lads will go after training and stuff on days off and that.

02:33So, yeah, it's just one of them dreams.

02:36Is that competitive edge you always wear?

02:38Yeah, I'd say so, yeah. Obviously, you want to win in everything you do.

02:42So, I think taking it into golf, you want to do well, don't you? So, it's one of them.

02:47Being new to it, you pretend that you don't care just as a backup, but when it comes to it, you do well.

02:52Yeah, you can half get away with it, being new to it.

02:55But, yeah, some of the lads have played in a little while, so they're good at it.

02:59So, it's nice to play with them as well because it's a better standard, isn't it?

03:04Obviously, you've been with Blackpool 18 months now and there's been a lot of change in that time.

03:08So, you came on lawn, you came permanent last year and then the manager who signed you was Saturdays two games.

03:13So, it's been a lot of change in a small amount of time.

03:15Yeah, no ties there. Obviously, I was grateful to get brought into the club by Neil.

03:20So, it was one of them, obviously, when he went, it was a change.

03:25It was a change for the majority of the lads because he was the manager who brought them in.

03:29But, yeah, I think everyone's adapted well. Just missed out last season.

03:33So, I think the additions we've made this season can get over the line, I think.

03:39Obviously, you've decided to play a wing-back role. You've played more than natural left-back since.

03:44Yeah.

03:45So, has it been an easy transition to sort of go back into that natural throwback?

03:49Yeah, personally, it has, yeah. Obviously, I played left-back growing up and then, obviously, managers and formations and stuff changed

03:57and then I got moved into a wing-back, which is probably a bit more natural for me going forward and stuff.

04:03But, no, the gaffer still lets you have that freedom at left-back to get forward and demands you to get up and down.

04:09So, it worked well.

04:10Yeah, you do bring something different to attack when, you know, you are playing left-back.

04:14So, do you still enjoy that side, but obviously, you've got to be more cautious when it's not a wing-back role?

04:18Yeah, no, of course. Obviously, there's not another body behind you to cover, essentially.

04:23But, no, he still wants you to get forward and get balls into the box and stuff.

04:27It's just, make sure you get back there and defend as well, so, yeah.

04:30How much did you enjoy playing under the new manager?

04:32Yeah, no, it's been good.

04:33Absolutely, it's been good.

04:34Star left-back, could have had 15 goals in six.

04:38No, I've loved it. It's been good. Obviously, it was a change formation and stuff and getting used to that again.

04:44But, no, I've enjoyed it, yeah.

04:46How about Agus? Has he been a good addition?

04:48Yeah, no, he has, yeah. I've had him a few times. I had him briefly when I was at Millsborough when I was younger.

04:52Just getting into the first team training and stuff, so I had him there for a bit.

04:57And then when I was at Aberdeen on loan, he came in halfway through there.

05:01So, I've known Agus a while, so he's a good man.

05:04Does that make it easy, obviously, getting a new manager you've not worked with before,

05:07but when he's an assistant to someone you're familiar with.

05:10Is that a nice sort of middle man to sort of, familiarity plus something there?

05:14Yeah, no, of course. Obviously, I'd like to think he would have put a good word into the manager as well.

05:18So, yeah, it's a bit of a middle one you can go speak to if you need something instead of going straight to the boss, essentially.

05:25So, yeah.

05:26Obviously, when you first met him, he would be a young player at Middlesbrough.

05:29Have you enjoyed when he arrived, sort of showing him around?

05:31He's coming to you sort of your neck of the woods now.

05:34Yeah, no, it was been nice.

05:35Even with Aberdeen as well, it was throwing him around places there.

05:39And then Blackpool, he enjoys it there as well, so yeah, it's good.

05:43What's the mood like in the camp, you know, heading into the season?

05:46You know, back to that season, the Blackpools, that's about playoffs,

05:48but it does feel like there is a lot of positivity around what's being done.

05:52Yeah, no, definitely. Obviously, it's been a good signing so far.

05:56All great additions to the squad, which all pushed for positions and up the standard, definitely.

06:02So, yeah, I think we just need to carry on, crack on back the manager and see where we can go.

06:09Yeah, do Blackpool have to be in that top six, obviously,

06:12in the playoffs or even higher?

06:14Yeah, no, I think, obviously, this year, I'd like to think playoffs

06:16is probably the minimum we need to aim for.

06:20Yeah, I think we've got a good squad.

06:22We just need to make sure we win the games and get up there.

06:26And, obviously, it's a double one's time to start with Stevenage

06:28and then put a few long trips in August as well,

06:31so it all comes quickly, doesn't it?

06:33Yeah, no, it does. It's a quick turnaround after pre-season.

06:37With the long ones, yeah, it's probably good to maybe not get them out of the way with,

06:41get them early doors and get them done and hopefully we can get off to a good start.

06:45Are you sort of in the mood for the season to start yet, or is pre-season still so new?

06:50Yeah, no, probably a bit new because we've only been back a week or so,

06:54but it's been a tough week, so hopefully we can taper into the games and stuff coming next week

06:59and then we can feed them from there.

07:02Yeah, and when the season starts, you're looking back on this time,

07:04we're like, part of your hard work and now we're doing, you know, the day-to-day stuff.

07:08Yeah, no, obviously, it sets you up for a good season.

07:11So if we continue these next couple of weeks, I think we'll be in a good place to get going.

07:16Boom.

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