Defender Emmerson Boyce has spoken about his experience in the game and how he hopes that it can have a positive impact on the group as Blackpool head into to oft called ‘business end’ of the campaign.
Speaking to the Official Site in his own pre Swindon Town mini press conference, the 36 year old said that although he’d been used sparingly since the arrival of Hayden White (playing in the Gillingham and Shrewsbury games recently) he feels he still has lots to offer as a voice in the dressing room.
‘It`s my role in the team, if I`m not playing to give advice if I can. My part is to give my experience to calm the players down, especially at this pressure time. We`re coming towards the back-end and it`s where it all counts. Obviously we don`t want to be in the bottom four and at the moment we`ve got enough points to keep ourselves out of it. I like being around the boys, some of the jokes they say now are the same ones I was sharing ten, 15 years ago, I`ve been through quite a bit in my career.’
Having featured 21 times so far for Neil McDonald, and sitting out Oldham in midweek, Boyce went on to say that he sees elements of his game in White and he knows that at his age and with more than 600 appearances to his name, there does come a time where it’s about helping younger members of the squad reach their potential.
‘When you`re younger you`re frustrated. I`m still frustrated now, but I`ve got more of an understanding that it`s a squad game this day and age. The games are coming thick and fast, and although I don`t want to admit, I`m not as young as I used to be. Hayden`s pushing me all the way, I`ve got a good battle with him and he has huge potential. When we change the team around, as a senior player, I can`t show my frustration but support the players and when I get on the pitch show my ability.’
