Blackpool boss reflects on Bolton Wanderers draw

Blackpool Gazette

Steve Bruce shares his thoughts on Blackpool's draw with Bolton Wanderers.

Transcript

00:00How much do you need that point today, just to steady things ahead of the international break?

00:03Yeah, I mean, look, it was a good game against, it was awful conditions in the finish,

00:08I don't know where that came from, against two good sides who've made huge changes to the squad.

00:13I looked at Boltons and they're unrecognisable to where they were last year.

00:17And again, I think they're suffering probably a bit like what we are, you know, in terms of change.

00:22There's constant change. It takes time to people get used to the surroundings,

00:26know what the manager wants, know how the team wants to play, but I've seen signs that we're getting better.

00:33Yeah, for both teams, you can just see teams that are fine in their feet, but when it does come off, it will come off well.

00:39We've got a long, long way to go. We've only just started and we would have loved a few more points on the board.

00:44Of course we would, but it is what it is. And let's go to work on Monday and get prepared for two weeks' time.

00:52Does the international break, obviously frustrating to break up the season,

00:54but does it come out of the right time to get the players in, build them, do a bit of work?

00:57For us, we've got to do a lot of physical work, because a lot of people want to.

01:01We're probably going to put in a game next Friday and that will help people.

01:07There's lots of people who need some minutes still, so we've decided to put a game in on Friday,

01:13Fraser being one, of course, and there's a few who need that game.

01:18Yeah, does it welcome an additional pre-season in some ways to have this break now?

01:21Physically go to work, yeah.

01:22Tom Bloxham came off early, was that all his plans?

01:26No, no, just, you know, he did great up there and he's run himself into the ground, that was 65 minutes.

01:34And when you've got Fletcher to come on, then that's the same, you know,

01:37when people are getting tired and he's fresh, and he showed one or two touches.

01:42I fancied him to score when he had the touch in the box, but not a bit.

01:46You mentioned Danny Emery, I think his leg was strapped up, he's strapped up and ready to go,

01:50so I'm impressed with you on his first start.

01:53I thought he was the outstanding player on the pitch, if I'm going to be brutally honest.

01:57But I liked some of their players too, don't get me wrong, and some of our lads,

02:01but he's had a terrific debut.

02:03Just on Dale, obviously, it went down as an own goal in the end,

02:06but will that still give him confidence that he played such a big part in breaking the deadlock tonight?

02:10Yeah, it's going to go down as an own goal, is it?

02:12It was coming off the puck.

02:13Is it not giving it to Dale?

02:14Yeah, it's not giving it to the back of his head.

02:16Oh, really? Really?

02:17Well, it was Dale Taylor's goal for me, that's for sure.

02:20That's exactly what he needed, that kind of performance, that kind of week in training.

02:23He's a good player, the kid.

02:25He's a good player, the kid, and we've seen him.

02:27He only had 45 minutes, I think, against Monaco in pre-season.

02:31Had anything before he came here.

02:33The two games which he's played in, in a week,

02:36he's certainly done in the world of good,

02:37and we've seen this week in training his finishing ability,

02:40his sharpness, his quickness of feet.

02:43He'll be fine.

02:44Are you the type of manager that enjoys deadline day?

02:46Do you enjoy the chaos that could happen, or do you just take it as it comes?

02:50Well, there's going to be chaos, that's for sure.

02:53You know, and it baffles me every year, like everybody else,

02:56but it all stems, as I've said many times,

02:58from the big top teams who make a decision on the younger players.

03:02These big clubs now have got something like 15 players out and long,

03:05so we're all waiting.

03:08We're waiting in the same dish to see what's been served up.

03:12You obviously want players in still.

03:14Could anyone leave you in the opposite direction?

03:17Oh, I wouldn't think so.

03:18I wouldn't think so.

03:19I think we're very, very late at the moment in terms of numbers,

03:22so I wouldn't think so.

03:24When it comes to that young lad like Terry Bond,

03:25would it be the loans throughout the season?

03:27Possibly.

03:27Possibly, that's a different situation.

03:31You know, we made a big call to young Killian getting out on loan,

03:35and also Ryan Finnegan,

03:37because I do believe they need to play

03:39and see where they get on and see who they can get on with their career,

03:42whether that's with us or somebody else.

03:44So, we've made a big decision to let them out,

03:47and that's something like 14 players out since last January,

03:52which is quite remarkable in my eyes,

03:55but it's something like that, which is ridiculous.

03:58Does it feel like your squad now?

04:00We're obviously meant to be players going out,

04:01and the players coming in.

04:02Look, I'm going to be brutally honest,

04:04none of us wanted to lose Rob,

04:06and I didn't want to lose Sonny Carey either.

04:08I would have loved to have had them two in the squad

04:11because of what they give us.

04:12However, it's not to be so,

04:14but we're molding the squad,

04:16which I think will be, you know,

04:18I think it'll be very, very, very, very good.

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