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First words from Ian Evatt after becoming the new Blackpool head coach

We take a look at the first words from Ian Evatt after becoming the new Blackpool head coach after much speculation.

The 43 year old has signed a deal until June 2028 and replaces Steve Bruce at Bloomfield Road, hoping to get the club out of the League One relegation zone.

Alongside former Seasiders defender Stephen Crainey, who joins as assistant head coach, they will hope to drastically turn the club’s form around, currently sitting bottom of the table with 9 points from 13 games played.

CLUB STATEMENT:

Blackpool Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Ian Evatt as Head Coach.

The former Pool defender returns to Bloomfield Road on a contract until June 2028. He holds an eye-catching record in the game, with a near 50% win ratio across his 350 games as a manager.

Evatt’s first success came at Barrow, winning the National League title in 2020. He continued to demonstrate his ability to install an attractive style of play and winning mentality within his squad at Bolton Wanderers, guiding the Club to automatic promotion to League One and subsequent play-off campaigns in the third tier.

Evatt is also lauded as one of Blackpool’s greatest ever defenders. Across his seven years as a player at Bloomfield Road, he achieved two promotions, including a memorable Premier League campaign. In total, Evatt made 254 appearances in tangerine, scoring ten goals.

He is joined by ex-Pool team-mate Stephen Crainey as Assistant Head Coach, who will work alongside Stephen Dobbie and Steve Banks to complete the coaching setup at Bloomfield Road.

On his appointment as Head Coach, Ian Evatt said:

“It’s incredibly emotional to return here and to be given this opportunity.

“I know first-hand what this Club and its supporters can achieve together. We all want to see fearless attacking football where Bloomfield Road is a really tough place for any team to play.

“It’s a real honour to be back here as Head Coach and I cannot wait to meet the players and to get started.”

Owner Simon Sadler said:

“I’m delighted to welcome Ian back to the football club, in what is a vital appointment.

“His impressive managerial record at this level, strong technical knowledge of the game alongside a passion and enthusiasm to return to the Club makes him the ideal fit.

“Whilst it has clearly not been the start to the season that any of us have wanted, I am now hopeful that results and performances will start to turn in our favour as we look to climb the table.”

Interviewer: The warmest of welcomes back to Blackpool. Just firstly try and summarise how it feels to be sat here as the new head coach of Blackpool Football Club.

Evatt: Yeah, I mean it’s incredibly emotional for me. It’s a club that’s very close to my heart for so many reasons really. Just driving down and seeing the tower again just gave me those goosebumps. Seeing and walking back into the stadium, seeing the work that’s been undertaken in the stadium that Simon’s achieved is just fantastic and yeah I just can’t wait to get started really it’s very special.

Interviewer: We’ll discuss your managerial record so far in a moment but just reflect on your time firstly here as a player you had a wonderful time here over the seven years you were here just discuss that time with us.

Evatt: Words can’t really explain it I think it was just so so special for me personally the best time of my playing career by far. We achieved some magical things with a very special group of people. The connection with the fan base, know, football clubs are the heart of every community and just seeing what it did for this town and how it just brought it alive really. I’ll never forget seeing the promenade just filled with tangerine. I can remember it like it was yesterday and yeah, just very, very special, what we achieved as underdogs and having that mentality and mindset to go against the grain was just incredible. And that’s something that I want to try and replicate coming back. know, everyone speaks about that time and that era and I think, you know, it’s time that we started to enjoy some of those moments again and that’s what I’m here to do.

Interviewer: And with that you’ve seen what this club can do when everyone aligns and there’s a real momentum and driving force behind the club. That must really excite you as well.

Evatt: Yeah, mean, obviously I understand what it means to the fan base. I understand what the fan base want to see. They want to see fearless attacking football. They want to make this place an absolute, you know, real hard place to come and get results. And I think we’ve probably come away from that a little bit. But yeah, we want to see the players go out there, entertain, enjoy ourselves but fundamentally work harder than the opposition. That’s what this club requires, that’s what the fan base requires and hopefully we can bring that to the table.

Interviewer: In your managerial career now, is that one of your or mantras making the team entertaining and working hard throughout the whole season?

Evatt: Yeah, I like to think I’m quite a technical coach. I like to define the details of the game but don’t be mistaken, it’s underpinned by hard work, underpinned by doing the basics really well, being better at set plays. think we’ve come away from being good at set plays and set plays are a huge part of the game now. I’ve come to develop on that side of it as well, just looking at Arsenal and the amount of goals that they score for instance at the top of the game. Just quick wins and initially that’s what we need to do is have quick wins, get some confidence, build some momentum and then we can start to progress the game model, the ideology of what I want the team to be like, but first off, make sure we work harder than the opposition.

Interviewer: Just reflecting on your managerial career to date so far, you’re still relatively early in your managerial career, but over 350 matches as a manager so far. How do you reflect on your time at Barrow and Bolton, because two very successful stints there?

Evatt: I’ve loved them both and they’ve been huge learning experiences for me. Massive thank you to Barrow initially for giving me the opportunity to be a head coach manager, and obviously getting them promoted for the first time in 48 years is very special and I’m delighted to see that they’re still there and still doing well in League 2. Paul Hornby, the owner, still obviously developing the club and improving the club season upon season, so really pleased to see that. Bolton, it was ground zero when I took over. I had a really special relationship with Sharon Britton, the owner there. And we had some great times, know, promotion, two play-offs, play-off final, a Wembley cup win. Yeah, just can’t speak highly enough for that football club as well, just loved my time there and it was all for me, still about learning and developing and this time off has given me that chance to reflect and gain some perspective. When you’re in post, sometimes it’s difficult to work on yourself and improve yourself and I think that’s what I’ve done over this last nine months is look at what went well, look at what didn’t go so well, how can I improve that and then how can I develop my knowledge of the game. I think what we know as coaches is limited and what you don’t know is limitless and I’m trying to constantly get information to make myself a better coach and manager and hopefully I can bring that to the table here.

Interviewer: I was going to touch on that, do think this sort of nine month break you’ve had out of the game has been a real sort positive thing for you?

Evatt: Absolutely, you don’t feel it at the time but I needed a break. I’ve been in the game for almost 27 years without a break because I’ve gone straight from playing into being a coach. as I said, just being able to spend some time on yourself again and understand what’s been achieved and what could have been better. And I’ve managed to do that and also work on the things that I want to improve and improve my knowledge of the game holistically in all aspects. I think I’ve done that and I’m ready to go again.

Interviewer: Looking at the present day now, what’s going to be your initial aims when you start here as head coach?

Evatt: Well, I’m here to win football matches, it’s as simple as that. It doesn’t matter about the historic of what’s been achieved as a player or the things that we’ve done together before. I’m here on merit to win football matches for this football club and that’s my aim really. It’s to focus on improving the players confidence levels, making us a more aggressive team. I want us to be on the front foot, I want us to attack with and without the ball and really get that mindset and mentality into the players very early on. I said, just reinforcement all the time, just positive messages, get the fans back in us because I know the difference that they can make and once that happens hopefully we’ll start to progress up the table. It’s going to be small incremental stages that we can’t go from 0 to 100 but we’re going to make sure we have the small wins initially make sure the players have a clear plan of what’s required with and without the ball. And as I said, if we can attack with them without the ball, I know we’ll start to win matches because I think this is a very talented squad.

Interviewer: And you’ve spoken with Simon and the senior leadership team over the past few days as well. How much are you looking forward to working with them?

Evatt: Very much so. mean, everyone I’ve met here has been fantastic. The senior management team is incredible. know, David, Julian, Nick, meeting yourself today, Simon yesterday. Yeah, just special. I think really positive, really calm and really supportive and that’s what I think I need, know, really good support off the pitch and it’s then my job to make sure that I performances and winning matches on the pitch and, you know, what Simon’s achieved in the six years here, seeing where the club is now compared to where it was is fantastic and I’m so proud to now be the head coach and hopefully get him a legacy as well. That’s what’s required. We’re here to win, to get promoted and hopefully look to the future and get this club back to where it was when I was here the last time.

Interviewer: Obviously you’re bringing Stephen Crainey to work alongside you as well as assistant head coach. You’ve worked with him before, obviously the fans know him well as well. What can you bring to the coaching settle?

Evatt: Yeah, Stephen’s obviously someone I’ve known a very long time. He came in very late to the Bolton staffing group but Stephen brings a wealth of knowledge. He is a really consistent guy, a really good guy, uh really positive with the players, builds excellent relationships with the players and is someone that is really supportive to me and can help reinforce my message and he knows what I require, he knows what this club requires so really it’s a seamless transition for us to come in and hit the ground running.

Interviewer: And finally, what would be your message to the Blackpool supporters?

Evatt: Yeah, just get behind us, I know what you can do for us. I’ve witnessed it, I’ve felt it, it’s palpable. I understand we have a part to play in that, that we’ve got to get you excited again and get your bums off the seats and be proud of this football club once again and build and recreate that connection that we had. And we’re going to do everything we can on and off the pitch to make that happen. I can tell I’m going to give it absolutely everything. I’m going to give it my all. I know the players will do the same. And hopefully, as I said, we can recreate some of those magical moments again.

Here’s how fans reacted as we look at the first words from Ian Evatt after becoming the new Blackpool head coach…

@chrislomas__: Just been blinded on a Tuesday morning because of Ian Evatts teeth but wow we are so back

@53BFC53: This was written in the stars a long time ago! Welcome back to Bloomfield Rd, time to turn this ship around! 🧡

@RuthAsp11: Welcome back Evo 🍊 🧡 (or Ace Rimmer as my Dad used to call him 😆!) Will be good to get some hard work and steel back in the club 💪 #UTMP

@oAlderado: 🍊 Evatt & Crainey back in the house 🏠 Going to need all the luck with so many players out injured and the mess we’ve been put in, but let’s give it a shot and see what happens! #IanEvattsTangerineArmy #UTMP 🍊⚽️

@theliammayo: One Ian Evatt 🍊. Have to be right behind him from the first game. Guys a club legend and let’s see what he’s got in his locker. UTP

@bloomfieldbear: Back where he belongs. Go and smash it, Evo! We’re all behind you! 🧡

@BlackpoolST: @BlackpoolFC Welcome back to the Gold Coast. We’ve been waiting.. 🍊🧡

@ryanmn84: Best of luck Evo and Crains – you’ve got a big job ahead of you this season. If anything, just bring back some entertainment at BR again, rather than 30% possession games 🙏

@itsakindermagic: Blackpool appointing Evatt has angered all the salty Bolton fans. Evatt is now working for a big club so he’ll be happy I’m sure.

@SarahHaydon1953: 2028 is a long contract…. Mr Sadler must have trust in him! 🧡

@LeanneSmith82: Happy with this. Hope they can turn the shitshow around. Best of luck you 2010 legends 🙌

@LewBibby: Never wanted someone to fail as much in my life, biggest self centred twat about #bwfc

@WandererSmurf: Whatever people think of him as a man there can no denying that Evatt progressed Boltons first team for 4 consecutive seasons including a promotion & cup win. As with the initially much maligned Phil Neal before him, I wish Ian the best in his new job. But it’s all about SS now.

@mattywazza: Best appointment since ss took over at the football club let’s push up the league so we can get into the play offs 😎😎😎🥳🥳🥳

@boltonfan96: Cue all the brain dead Bolton fans , good look Ian hope it works out for you

@SuperJazzer: Get his boots on! We need the players 😂

@bwfcjordan24: I do hope it works out for him, best of luck Ian!

@markwatson62: Tough job ahead turning this around. Think he will do it but only time will tell.

@Fozthegoat: Turn this shite around Evo 🍊

@SamgDavis: Joke that he hasn’t brought in Richard Kingson as goalkeeping coach. #Evattout

@joeyrex: Great appointment but he’s got a hell of job to turn this season round. Welcome back Evo!

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