Not everything has gone according to plan for the Orange Army’s first-ever bid to recover its Championship status.
They can still qualify for the playoffs, but to do so, they would need to finish inside the top six, which would need at least two of the three clubs above them—Barnsley, Lincoln City, and Oxford United—to give up points on the last day of the regular season.
However, the 2023–2024 campaign hasn’t exactly been a bust.
However, the 2023–2024 campaign hasn’t exactly been a bust. While some may have anticipated the former second-tier team to automatically qualify for the playoffs, they didn’t start the season with a particularly good team and have relied heavily on some of their loan acquisitions.
Jordan Rhodes, a temporary Tangerine, leads the team in scoring thus far this year (15). Since joining Blackpool, another player, Karamoko Dembélé, has amassed the greatest total goals and assists in the league (20).
Coulson, a different loan signing, has drawn the attention of Bloomfield Road’s management despite lacking all the eye-catching statistics to support his claims.
After considering the effect his loan additions have had on Blackpool this season, the former Queens Park Rangers manager disclosed that the team plans to bring Coulson back to the fold in the summer along with a few other players.
“To the Blackpool Gazette, [the loanees] have made a huge difference,” the 45-year-old stated. “Hayden has performed admirably.
“Loan players’ parent clubs have a voice in the matter, and when they perform well, other teams get interested. Since they are not our players, we have no control over it.
“Everyone has made a contribution and proven to be valuable to the team. We will absolutely take a closer look at it when the season is over since they have also demonstrated what wonderful individuals they are and how much they have enjoyed playing here.”
After Dembélé’s summer window transfer from French club Stade Brest, Critchley kept praising him.
He went on, “I think Kaddy’s impact is extraordinary when you compare it to where he was when he first came here. He will make a fantastic player in the future, in my opinion. In this league, I wouldn’t trade him for any other offensive player.”
Rehiring loan players who have shown promise for you recently is typically a pretty safe choice. They are familiar with the area, the club, the management, and the supporters.
There’s no need to worry about them thinking about moving here, about potential distance concerns, or anything else of that like because, if there are any such issues, they will already be known about.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have players like Dembélé, Coulson, and Rhodes—whose contract expires at the conclusion of the current campaign—back. However, these transactions would not be without problems.
Teesside Live anticipates that Boro will be willing to trade their 25-year-old to Blackpool come summertime, but they may find it difficult to compensate him for the salary his home club gave him. Their top scorer may be experiencing a similar problem.