Neil Critchley sacked by Blackpool after just TWO games as League One side brutally axe former Liverpool coach
BLACKPOOL have sacked manager Neil Critchley after just TWO league games this season.
The Tangerines have let the former Liverpool coach following two consecutive losses in League One to start the campaign.
The club’s owner Simon Sadler said: “Neil’s dedication, commitment and tireless work ethic have been a real credit to the Club.
“Despite his best efforts over the past 12 months, there have been a number of disappointing results and performances which means that a change is needed 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.
“I and all at the Club wish Neil and Mike the very best for the future.”
Critchley’s assistant coach Mike Garrity has also left the club alongside the 45-year-old.
Blackpool also confirmed that Richard Keogh, who has been working as a first-team coach at the club, will take charge of the side on an interim basis.
Keogh will be in the dugout for Blackpool’s trip to face Cambridge United this weekend.
Critchley, who spent seven years as a youth coach with Liverpool, had been in charge of Blackpool since May 2023.
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The former QPR gaffer had previously penned a contract to keep him at Bloomfield Road until 2027.
Blackpool narrowly missed out on a play-off place under Critchley last season, finishing in eighth spot – just three points off Barnsley in sixth.
However, an opening day defeat at the hands of Crawley was compounded by a 3-0 thrashing by Stockport on Saturday – starting the new campaign in torrid fashion.
And it now appears that the shaky start was too much for the chiefs at Blackpool to allow Critchley to continue in his role.
It brings an end to the manager’s second spell with the Seasiders after he was in charge of the club from March 2020 to June 2022.
That two-year spell saw Critchley guide the club to promotion into the Championship, as well as helping them maintain their status in the division in the following season.
After leaving Blackpool in 2022, Critchley joined Aston Villa as part of then-manager Steven Gerrard’s coaching staff.