EFL CLUB BRUTALLY SACK THEIR MANAGER JUST TWO LEAGUE GAMES INTO THE NEW SEASON WITH BACK-TO-BACK DEFEATS FORCING OWNER TO ACT

Blackpool have dismissed Neil Critchley after a sluggish start to the season
Former Liverpool coach Critchley arrived for a second spell in charge last year
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Blackpool have sacked boss Neil Critchley after just two league games this season.

The League One club suffered back-to-back defeats at the start of the new campaign and the hierarchy decided to dismiss Critchley, a former Liverpool youth coach.

The 45-year-old arrived at Bloomfield Road for a second spell in charge in May 2023, having led the Seasiders to promotion to the Championship during his first stint.

However, they narrowly missed out on the play-offs last time out after finishing eighth and following a slow start this year, a change has been made in the dugout.

Richard Keogh has taken over as interim head coach and will be on the touchline for this weekend's trip to Cambridge United, Blackpool confirmed in a statement.

Assistant coach Mike Garrity has also departed in a backroom shake-up.

Owner Simon Sadler thanked Critchley for his work over the past 12 months but admitted 'disappointing results and performances' forced him to act to 'give the club every possible chance of competing at the top end of the division this season'.

'I will always be thankful for Neil's wonderful efforts in guiding the club to promotion to the Championship in 2021, and then comfortably keeping us in the division the following season,' Sadler added on the club website.

'I and all at the club wish Neil and Mike the very best for the future.'

Keogh, the former Derby County captain, had worked under Critchley as a first-team coach but has made the step up with the club's search for a permanent successor now underway.

Former QPR boss Critchley had previously signed a contract tying him down to Blackpool until 2027 - before their slump led to his early axing.

The opening day defeat by Crawley thrust him into the spotlight and his misery was compounded by the 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Stockport on Saturday.

Critchley joined Aston Villa as part of Steven Gerrard's backroom staff in 2022 but after leaving he managed just 12 games at QPR, winning only once.

2024-08-21T10:13:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd