Blackpool boss looks ahead to Charlton Athletic game and discusses new signing

Blackpool Gazette

Steve Bruce previews Blackpool's upcoming home game against Charlton Athletic and discusses the arrival of Niall Ennis on loan from Stoke City.

Transcript

00:00You're a step closer with Huddersfield, obviously there's that five-minute blip that cost you at home.

00:04So do you feel like you are knocking on the door of getting that right, making it a fortress again?

00:10I sincerely hope so. I think we've played very, very well at times at home.

00:14Huddersfield has won where the first half in particular, we had a bad five minutes.

00:19When I look back at that five minutes as well, the score from a corner, come clearance and

00:25then they got a deflection. I didn't realise the second goal was a deflection, although it was one of them

00:30wonder goals, the big deflection. So that's gone against us.

00:34Look, we've got another opportunity tomorrow and I've got a lot of home games coming up.

00:38So let's hope we can turn around.

00:40There's clearly belief in the changing rooms. Is it about sharing that now and spreading that around the area?

00:46Well, I have to say I've been delighted with the attitude of the players, the way they've gone about their work.

00:52Not easy. We haven't had an easy couple of days to go to Exeter away,

00:56which took us nine hours on the Friday to get there, perform the way we did, get back and then go to

01:02bloody Lincoln on a Tuesday night.

01:05It was difficult enough to get back from there too as well.

01:07So we didn't get back there until two, three o'clock in the morning. So it's been a difficult few days.

01:13But I'm hoping that we've obviously recovered and get ready for tomorrow.

01:16You mentioned Sonny's contract, there was a few who were out of contract.

01:19I know we've got a deadline there to get past first, but how soon would you like to get contracts?

01:23Well, look, I think we're going to take it just a bit at a time.

01:27We've got to get January out the road first and the madness is about to start in the next three, four days.

01:32So let's see what that brings and then we'll go to work with what we need to be.

01:39You know, we're fully aware of people who are out of contract and this, that and the other.

01:45So we'll address that when this window's out and done.

01:50You mentioned there might be one more signing in the works, but apart from that, if the windows are shut now, would you welcome it?

01:55I've been delighted at what we've done.

01:58As I said, we've trimmed down the squad because that's what I believe we needed to do going forward.

02:06The three players we've brought in will definitely bring something to us in the forward areas.

02:11I think that's where we needed to improve and we're a bit light.

02:14So I'm delighted with what we've done.

02:16The way Tom Bloxham started out as a striker, obviously maybe signed as a winger, but the way he started as a striker,

02:21has that sort of changed the approach of what he's going to do?

02:23We've always signed him as a striker.

02:29We knew he could play there because I think out of the 150 games he's played in his career,

02:35I think he's played about 30 times down the middle.

02:39So we always knew that was part of his game.

02:42He could play on the left and the right and through the middle, which is great.

02:46When you've got that flexibility, he's had a great start.

02:51So long may that continue.

02:53Already, I can feel that he's a bit of a favourite because you can,

02:56especially with away supporters who've seen him play fantastically well at Exeter in particular.

03:02We now need the other two new lads to get their chance and bring the squad something new and fresh.

03:09And that's the beauty about bringing in the player.

03:11Moving up this one though, back of your mind going forward,

03:13do you think we might be signing a striker up from now?

03:16Wingers, if we need to go.

03:18Well, we needed to address the wide area

03:22and we've brought in, and I still class Tom as that, in the wide area.

03:27We needed to address that because when CJ was out,

03:30we've asked young Rob to perform week in and week out,

03:34and the kid's done fantastically well.

03:37But we always knew that he's only a young'un.

03:39You know, he's only young the boy, and to play repeatedly.

03:43There's times when I'm thinking he needs to just have a week or two to have a break from it.

03:49We haven't been able to do that because of CJ missing and what the squad build-up there was.

03:54And that's the way we were last year.

03:55We were a totally, totally different squad of players for a different system.

04:00So, fair credit to the powers that be.

04:05They've listened to what the change and what we want to do and try to help.

04:09Tough job for Nightliners to break in the next few weeks, isn't it?

04:13Yeah, but that's what we want.

04:16That's what we want with the squad.

04:17You know, when we had lost 3, 4, 5, which,

04:22even at elite level, I've said it many times to you,

04:25you lose 3, 4, 5 of your first team,

04:27and it's very difficult to go week in and week out

04:32and have the same threat as what you did have.

04:35So, we've addressed it as best we can.

04:39So, yeah, onwards and upwards.

04:41Is Nile ready for this weekend? Is he ready to come straight into contention?

04:44Yeah, yeah, straight into contention.

04:46He only played last week, so we know where he's fit and raring to go.

04:52Obviously, we spoke about Ashley Fletcher before.

04:54Could Nile be similar?

04:55Were he done well at this level before he's dropped back down?

04:58He's done very, very well at this level.

05:00He helped Plymouth get promoted with his goals

05:02and then got his move to the Championship.

05:05That hasn't gone as well as probably we would have hoped.

05:07I haven't sat down and asked him the reason why yet.

05:10We've only just got to know him today and yesterday.

05:14Look, we know at this level, he's proven.

05:16So, that can only help us.

05:18There's a few players in the squad who have experience

05:20getting promotion from this league,

05:21but adding another figure like Nile into the squad,

05:24is that only going to help?

05:25Yeah.

05:26Look, the good players that you have in the squad, the better.

05:29And he can certainly help us going forward.

05:33And let's hope he can hit the ground running.

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