Mick McCarthy addresses Richard O'Donnell's Blackpool departure and whether a new coach will be sought

It comes after Blackpool’s former assistant head coach left the club earlier this week in what looked to be a U-turn from the Seasiders.

That’s because McCarthy had previously claimed O’Donnell would be remaining with the club until the end of the season to work alongside both him and assistant Terry Connor.

That’s how it transpired in McCarthy’s first game in charge, with the three men in the dugout for the FA Cup tie against Southampton last weekend.

But McCarthy has now revealed it was always part of the plan for O’Donnell to move on before the season was up.

“That was pretty much always going to happen,” he told The Gazette.

“I came in, he would have taken the Huddersfield game and he was with us for the other game (against Southampton in the FA Cup), that was going to happen.

“Me and TC are taking it and that’s just part of the other two lads leaving (Michael Appleton and David Kerslake), now Richard has gone as well.

“We’ve thanked him for his help prior to the other game and it’s just one of those sad facts of football unfortunately.

“For the first week he was very helpful because I didn’t know all the players and I needed to get an understanding of what they were trying to do from free-kicks, corners and defensively.

“When you’re left behind, you pass on the information to the new manager and the new coach and that’s your job.”

When asked if another coach is likely to come in and take O’Donnell’s place, McCarthy added: “Not for now. We’ll see what’s needed, but TC and me are generally taking it.

“There’s sometimes been a third coach but at the moment we’re alright.”

O’Donnell originally moved to Bloomfield Road to become part of Appleton’s backroom staff, having worked alongside him and Kerslake during their time together at Lincoln City.

While Kerslake left the club when Appleton was sacked, O’Donnell was kept on to maintain some continuity under the new Mick McCarthy regime.