news-engine

'Reviews are constant' - Blackpool CEO addresses injury problem with admission of how it spreads beyond Bloomfield Road Blackpool senior figures David Downes and Nick Horne have discussed the current ongoings at Bloomfield Road. Injuries have plagued Blackpool in recent times - with the extent of last season’s problems resulting in a relegation battle. Ian Evatt was certainly presented with a challenge during his first seven months in charge, missing up to 10 players at one stage. When bodies were available, the Seasiders were ultimately able to play some good football, with an end of season tally of 22 points from their final nine games helping them to survive comfortably. Subscribe now for HALF PRICE and catch every minute of our Seasiders coverage this season - from pre-season to the final whistle. Click here Throughout this summer’s friendlies, several players have been absent once again, albeit through minor knocks or because rehab after surgery. The prospect of an injury crisis isn’t a new thing on the Fylde Coast, with previous managers also having to overcome similar issues. While the current coaching staff have put plans in place to make the squad more robust this time around, reviews are also taking place with the senior leadership team. While admitting Blackpool have been hard in recent times, CEO David Downes this is a problem that’s being felt across the entire game. “Reviews are constant - that’s modern football,” he said. “We’ve spent a hell of a lot of money on the pitches at both Bloomfield Road and Squires Gate. We’ve invested in the gym, we’ve invested in pieces of equipment, we’ve invested in data that looks at training methods. “We’ve tried to leave no stone left unturned. Sometimes you can be unfortunate and unlucky. “From what I’ve found here, if we’ve made a mistake, someone’s always put their hand up. “There’s a huge degree of luck and misfortune with it. Last season we didn’t have too many training injuries. “We’ve had a look at patterns and trends - if someone could put their finger on it then they’d be incredibly wealthy throughout football because it’s an issue that’s game wide. “I saw Leam Richardson say Reading had two trialists because they’re struggling with numbers. Ian Holloway has cancelled a game at Swindon for exactly the same reason. If you look at Tottenham last year - they had it.”