Blackpool boss discusses new additions and provides injury update

Blackpool Gazette

Steve Bruce discusses the arrival of Dale Taylor at Bloomfield Road and issues an injury update ahead of Blackpool's trip to Exeter.

Transcript

00:00Dale Taylor, how much of a relief is it to get over the line of drivers?

00:02Hurdles to overcome, but how long it's been going on for?

00:05Well, it's been prolonged. Is that the right word? Good word.

00:09It's been a prolonged transfer. We thought we had it done maybe three weeks ago, four weeks ago,

00:15and it rumbled on. But look, he's here now and he's signed and he's done,

00:21so we've dug deep into our pockets, so we have to thank the owner for that.

00:26But he's made it work and he's walked through the door, along with Malcolm

00:31and the other lads we've brought in in the last week or ten days.

00:35All of a sudden, there is a healthy feel to the group compared to a week ago

00:40where we were threadbare and no place to play.

00:45You said it was a big fear, and what figure are we talking?

00:49I think it's up to around a million quid's worth, isn't it? Something like that.

00:52I don't know the actual figure, but it was a big number in our league.

00:57So, fair play to everybody concerned.

01:01David and his recruitment staff, Dino, and of course the owner for having the vision

01:06that he wants to have. He wants to try and get a squad that is capable of getting in the top six.

01:11And that's what now, we've got all the stuff here.

01:15We now need to build the foundations for it, get the team playing in a certain way,

01:19the way we want to play, and let's see what we can do.

01:23Yeah, when you came in, you said you was going to be backed.

01:26It's obviously a real statement of intent, isn't it?

01:28Yeah, I mean, look, since I've walked through the door, the chairman and the owner,

01:32sorry, the owner has backed everything I've wanted to do, you know.

01:37But I have to say it's been driven mainly by him.

01:41You know, he wants his team to be at the top end of the league

01:44and provided the funds that's, you know, we've got a squad of players

01:51who are as competitive as anybody in this division.

01:53So, now we've got to put it into practice.

01:56Now we've got to gel them quickly.

01:58Can they adapt quickly to this new surrounding, new homes,

02:02new schools for the kids, all this, and get them playing.

02:06Another name that's been linked recently is Duncan Watmore.

02:09Is there anything in that one?

02:11Yeah, well, I've known Duncan for a long, long time

02:14and, you know, he's had a tough time with injuries.

02:17He came in a couple of weeks ago to see where he was in terms of injury-wise.

02:21It's something that we've looked at,

02:23but we haven't done anything real positive on it.

02:26Obviously, you said there's not much more else to do.

02:29If the window was to cause tomorrow, would you be happier with that?

02:31Absolutely.

02:31I think if you look at what we've done,

02:35I would think they'd have to be delighted with what we've done.

02:37We've brought in some good players to the club

02:38who've done well in this division before.

02:41So, yeah, let's look forward to it.

02:44Obviously, the manager's always one more.

02:45So, is there a little bit earlier that I'll be kicking about?

02:47If I don't keep knocking the door,

02:50then I'm not doing my job.

02:52So, we've got to keep improving and trying to get better.

02:56We've now got to make sure this group of players,

02:59as I said, 12 in, 11, 12, 13 out

03:02in the few months is ridiculous numbers.

03:07But that's the way it is.

03:09But I do believe we've strengthened the squad significantly

03:12in what we've done.

03:14Now we've got to put it in action.

03:15And is a key thing for the next few weeks

03:17going to be keeping all of your best players

03:18who've made an impact last year?

03:20Yeah, yeah.

03:20I mean, look, I can't envisage that anybody's going to go out.

03:24I wouldn't have thought.

03:25Hey, you never know in football, of course.

03:27But, yeah, I mean, we never wanted to sell a Rob,

03:30but Rob banged on the door that often.

03:34And, you know, when money changes hands like that

03:37and it's sort of life-changing for the kids,

03:39then there's nothing much you can really do about it,

03:42even at the elite level.

03:44You know, I'm sure Leipzig would want to lose their striker

03:48at the minute, but he's got Newcastle and Man U all over it.

03:51It's inevitable it's going to happen.

03:53Obviously, positive transfer news this week

03:55and obviously positive injury news.

03:56It must be a sigh of relief.

03:57Yeah, yeah, that's, you know, frustrating

04:00in the games we've played in pre-season

04:02that we've picked up the injuries we did

04:03to key players as well, you know.

04:05You know, three or four of them, five of them

04:07out on the team last week, you know,

04:09we're all potential starters for you.

04:11So, it's good to see them back

04:13with two, three walking through the door.

04:15All of a sudden, we've got a squad of players

04:17that are at par with anything else in the division.

04:20Is Albie, Hubby and Danny Emery still a few weeks away?

04:23Hubby's had an operation.

04:24I don't think we'll see Hubby till Christmas,

04:27I wouldn't have thought.

04:28That's the sad news on that one.

04:31Albie's round the corner, not far from it.

04:33Danny Emery's round the corner, not far from it at all.

04:35So, they are the ones who are, you know,

04:38there or thereabouts in the next week or ten days.

04:40As for Hubby, unfortunately,

04:42he's had an operation on his armstring,

04:44so I would think they'll have to keep him

04:45out of the best part of Christmas.

04:47So, yeah, experienced lad.

04:48Yeah, experienced one who could play centre-back

04:50and left-back for you.

04:51So, it's, yeah, it's a blow to us.

04:55Obviously, we mentioned mistakes before last week.

04:57On to Bailey Peacock, Farrell Plum made one.

04:59You've got two goalkeepers you want battling.

05:01At what point does a mistake become enough

05:02to come out of the team for them to...

05:04Well, that's a great question.

05:06Great question.

05:06How long do you put up with it?

05:09But, look, he's an experienced player, Bailey.

05:12He's made a wrong choice.

05:13Made a bad pass with his wrong foot.

05:16Nobody knows it.

05:18We all know it.

05:19It's a genuine mistake.

05:21That is for the manager to decide

05:22how many mistakes do they make.

05:25If you remember, Harry Tryon made a few

05:27early on in his career with us.

05:30We don't want him to keep Antman and the goalkeeper,

05:32that's for sure.

05:33So, we'll see.

05:35Is it hard?

05:35Because you don't want to take him out

05:36and knock down confidence,

05:37but you don't want it to carry on.

05:38Look, he's an experienced player

05:39who holds his hands up straight away.

05:41Made a mistake.

05:42Just like the other boys did too.

05:44So, let's hope that's it out the road

05:47for all of them.

05:49And we'll be better in that department on Saturday.

05:52And just finally, the two new rivals this week,

05:54are they ready to go in some capacity this weekend?

05:57I was starting off a bench.

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