First team coach Richie Kyle has said he’s relished the chance to work under manager Gary Bowyer following their time at Blackburn Rovers.
Reunited at Bloomfield Road this season, Kyle was part of Blackburn’s Academy set up back in 2004 when Bowyer arrived at the club, and speaking to the Official Site Kyle said he considered the boss to be one of the best coaches in the game, so the chance to be working alongside and learn from him once more, is a joy for him.
‘We always kept in touch throughout the years and he’s always picked up the phone to see how my career is progressing as the years have gone on. As happens in football, you come across each other again and it does help having that relationship because there’s a trust and a respect. I learnt a lot off Gary when I was a young coach and I’m sure I’ll learn a hell of a lot more this season. I enjoy working with him, he’s an outstanding coach and one of the best in the game from what I’ve seen. I can only benefit from that and we’ve both now got to work our hardest to get this club back to where it belongs. I’m sure with the work ethic that we both share, we’ll do that.’
Having been brought to Blackpool three years ago by then manager Paul Ince, Kyle went on to say that he’s recently taken his UEFA Pro Licence, and at the age of 32, he’s now one of the youngest coaches in the game to hold that particular award.
‘I’ve studied hard and it’s taken me 10 years to get to where I want to be. My aim was always to get the top qualifications, not just in this country but in Europe, at a young age because I’m determined to be the best I can be. I’m now at the stage where I’ve got my Pro Licence and I’m coaching at first-team level, but that won’t stop me from learning and taking other qualifications to upskill my knowledge. I want to be part of some success now by working with Gary to get Blackpool back up again.’
As for the current training regime, he went on to explain.
‘We’ve been doing double sessions on a daily basis, and sometimes triple sessions with some evening work in a classroom. We’ve increased the work load and intensity but the lads have responded well to what we’re trying to do. The time away has been ideal, especially with us getting some of our business done early. There’s some new faces in the squad and it’s important that everyone bonds as a team and develops a strong team spirit.’
