The Sports Psychology Blog
This Sports Psychology blog, comes as Blackpool lose at home in the Championship to Watford, increasing their relegation worries.
Football: Blackpool - Progress?
When Simon Grayson took Blackpool to Championship promotion in 2007, after twenty-nine years, out in the football wilderness, he broke a stop situation.
When Grayson left in Dec. 2008, to manage his beloved Leeds United, Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston, decided not to make an immediate managerial appointment. He adopted a 'wait and see' approach, leaving the evergreeen Tony Parkes in caretaker charge. Which is fine over a few games.
But it's now two months, since Grayson left. And Blackpool are now looking serious relegation candidates. 'Wait and see', now looks suspiciously like indecision. And when you are in a relegation dog-fight, indecision off the pitch, leads to lost points on it.
Whenever a stop situation is broken, its essential that momentum is maintained. Otherwise, all the negative habits and patterns, that its' taken so many years to overcome, will come back to haunt you.
For example, Bloomfield Rd., still resembles a non-league ground, with two stands, supported by a golf stand for away supporters. This was useful for The Seasiders in their first Championship season, as overpaid ex Premiership players, struggled to come to terms with the fierce winds off the Irish Sea.
But now visiting players and managers know what to expect, when they visit Bloomfield Rd. Blackpool's home form, their strength last season, now looks like achilles heel. For a club with serious ambitions about progressing up the Championship, an undeveloped ground, is simply not the right signal to send out.
But, perhaps the chairman, has decided that life as a League One club, is the clubs true level. That trying to maintain Championship status, on crowds below 8,000, is futile. That relegation will be inevitable at some point.
Maybe he is right. But after taking so long to break back into the Championship, you would expect Blackpool to be dogged in their determination, to maintain their status. If Karl Oyston appoints a permanent manager this week, then they can still preserve their hard fought for status. If he doesn't, then it maybe another twenty-nine years, before they enjoy Championship football again, at the seaside.
