Michael Appleton opens up on Blackpool's struggles, manager pressure and impact of social media

The 47-year-old was ousted back in January after a run of 10 games without a win left the Seasiders three points from safety.

Fast forward three months and not only have things not improved under Mick McCarthy, they actually got worse to the point where the veteran boss has now departed following Good Friday’s 3-1 defeat to Cardiff City.

Appleton appeared on BBC Radio 5Live on Friday and was inevitably asked where it all went wrong for Blackpool this season.

“I can’t speak for what has happened since I left the place, but ultimately before I did leave it was probably going the way we thought and we expected,” he said.

“The reality is, the club massively overachieved last year and did brilliantly to finish 16th but ultimately staying in the division this season was the aim.

“If it meant finishing 21st and keeping the Championship status, then that’s what it would have to be.

“Within the dressing room and within the four walls, we all knew where we stood and what we had to do.

“To be fair, up until the day before I left the club we were all quite relaxed and knew the job was still there and capable of achieving.

“Since then, players have come in, there’s been a bit of a window and ultimately it hasn’t improved.”

The former Lincoln City boss also featured on the BBC’s Football News Show last week where he discussed the life of a manager and the pressure that comes with the job.

It follows a recent spate of sackings in the Premier League where the turnover of managers appears to be higher than ever.

“I believe a lot of managers lose their jobs due to expectations or false expectations,” Appleton said.

“From a manager’s point of view, I won’t do social media for obvious reasons because I’m not going to be particularly well liked.

“But what I tend to find at certain clubs I’ve worked for is that there’s almost an obsession with social media and fans’ forums within the hierarchy.

“You’re talking about these people on social media and fans’ forums and they’re a very, very small percentage of the actual fanbase but their voice seems to be bigger than what yours is.”

The phrase ‘the manager has lost the dressing room’ is one we hear quite often throughout a season, but Appleton insists he’s never had that happen to him.

“I do feel quite fortunate in that sense,” he said.

“I lost my job in January but I felt at the time the players were still running, they were still giving everything and the stats and the performances backed that up. I was comfortable with that.

“Sometimes familiarity can creep in a little bit, hearing the same voice if a manager has been there too long and that voice has been a constant.

“If you’re not churning your team over…I suppose that’s why Sir Alex Ferguson was fantastic at it to build that longevity because he built three or four different teams.

“I’m sure it is a thing, but fortunately I’ve not been in that position yet and I don’t really want to.”