'It's a process' - Blackpool boss expresses sympathy for Henrik Pedersen ahead of Sheffield Wednesday clash
Managerless Sheffield Wednesday will welcome Blackpool to Hillsborough on Sunday afternoon.
Blackpool head coach Ian Evatt has expressed his sympathy for former Sheffield Wednesday manager Henrik Pedersen following the Dane’s recent dismissal ahead of the Tangerines’ visit to Hillsborough on Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday made the decision to sack Pedersen last weekend following a 2-0 defeat to Doncaster Rovers at the Club Doncaster Sports Village. It marked their second away defeat in five days without scoring and was accompanied by another underwhelming performance.
A lack of progress in performances was cited as the reason behind Wednesday’s decision to relieve Pedersen of his duties, despite the former Owls boss having lost just two of his last 11 games in charge.
Wednesday are still in the process of identifying the ideal candidate to succeed Pedersen. As a result, interim boss Matt Hamshaw will remain in charge for the visit of the Tangerines after overseeing Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw with Cambridge United.
“In the modern world, everyone requires instant success,” said Evatt, as quoted by the Blackpool Gazette. “It’s a process, it’s a journey. Rightly or wrongly it’s the coaches and managers that get fired first.
“It’s hard but it’s the nature of the industry we’re in. I must be crazy to love it but I do. My focus is on ourselves, myself and how I can do the best I can for this club.
“I do have so much empathy with coaches and managers that lose their jobs. It’s a difficult industry. I’m always sceptical when new ownership and sporting directors take charge of a club and there’s a manager in place.
“People always forget the difficult circumstances he did his job in last season and I thought he handled himself, the club and that group of players superbly well in uncertain times.”
Addressing what he and his players are expecting to come up against at Hillsborough, Evatt continued: “We don’t know if there’s going to be an appointment before the game. They have a really good squad of players, excellent players, across the pitch and it’s going to be as tough as it gets.
“Thirty thousand (fans), brilliant atmosphere; it’s as hard as you can get in League One.”
Meanwhile, the Tangerines boss has confirmed that defender Fraser Horsfall will miss the trip to Hillsborough. Horsfall returned from an ankle injury against Aston Villa’s Under-21s in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy in midweek, but his comeback came at a cost, as he has now been ruled out once again.
Evatt added: “He hasn’t come through, the ankle has flared up again so we’re back to square one. There’s no point me standing here saying something different, not being honest and straight.
“Fraser feels upset. He will be going back to see the specialist and see what the next stage of the recovery is.”