Blackpool boss Steve Bruce previews his side's upcoming games against Stevenage and Wrexham.
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00:00So Steve, of course, a couple of weeks off since your last game. How's that been?
00:06How's it been? Well, it's never easy when you lose, is it? So, yeah, look, it's given everybody
00:13a little break. I've freshened up for the last four or five games of the season. It's been okay.
00:20Has that governing game been playing on people's minds that you got to a point where you're sort
00:23of looking forward? Well, you've just got to look forward to the next one, haven't you? You know,
00:28we've got a big weekend coming up. We're still alive in the playoff push. It's going to be very,
00:35very difficult. We understand that, but can't give it up. Yeah, I think part of the next two games
00:40is going to be obviously a quick succession to keep yourself alive and keep it mathematically.
00:43Yeah, yeah, yeah. We've got to try and who knows? You never know. You never know in this league,
00:49you know, certainly when the top, the bottom end of the season is upon us, then you see some strange
00:56results. So, it's going to be difficult, but we can only do what we can do. So, can we go and,
01:01you know, win the next four on the spin if that's possible?
01:04Has that been the message, sort of, keep it possible?
01:07Yeah, yeah. Keep it alive. Keep it alive. It'd be nice if we can keep it alive as long as we can.
01:12So, there's been a few strange results, as we've seen over the weekend, last weekend,
01:18teams where you wouldn't expect to be beaten where they were, but so it's kept the whole season alive.
01:24Yeah. You ever been keeping a close eye on those results?
01:26Yeah, well, we've all checked them, haven't we? As I've always said though, you know,
01:30when you're chasing three or four, then it becomes difficult, but we're not going to give it up.
01:35We've got a tough game tomorrow at Stevenage, followed by Wrexham, and then all of a sudden,
01:40yeah, within two weeks, the whole thing's over with. So, yeah, let's see what we can do.
01:46Because, obviously, it's a nine-point gap now, does that almost take the pressure off,
01:50just sort of enjoy yourselves to play your game?
01:52Well, yeah, I mean, yeah, if it's nine points or whatever it is, it's going to be a hell of a lot to turn it over, isn't it?
01:57But, look, since Christmas, or since, you know, the turn of the New Year, I think we've made big progress.
02:06So, yeah, we're disappointed that we're not closer, because we could have been, but it's important that we finish off the season.
02:14I know sometimes after the defeat, you just want to get straight back out there and play,
02:17but the nature of the defeat, obviously, some illness, some tired body.
02:20Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I look back at it and think, you know, maybe I should have freshened it up.
02:25It's always that one, isn't it? You know, but the team was confident, playing well, so I've left it alone.
02:31But, yeah, there was a bit of illness knocking around a couple of the players.
02:36And, yeah, we're disappointed because I didn't think we deserved to lose,
02:41but our first-off performance in particular wasn't very good.
02:46How's everyone this week? I'm guessing the illness has passed over now.
02:48Yeah, yeah, everybody's okay. Everybody's okay, dusting themselves off, had a long weekend,
02:53and I'm going to get started again.
02:56On the injury front, I know Elkin and Josh were both injured. Have they been back in training this week?
03:00Yeah, yeah. They're back all training. We've got everybody to pick from, really.
03:05So Beasley suspended, obviously, but everybody else is fit and available.
03:10So Elkin and Josh have done enough training to be in contention to play now?
03:13Yeah, yeah. Everybody's in contention. They've all trained all week. So, yeah, full-fit squad.
03:19I suppose that's the best way to finish the season, to have everyone available.
03:22Yeah, there's times in the season, isn't there, when, you know, you've missed people
03:27for a good few months. But at this particular moment, touch wood, everybody's okay as we train
03:33Friday morning. Yeah, I've always fit.
03:37After the gap, how do you pick the team? Do you go based on form before the break, or do you go based
03:41on what you've seen in the last week?
03:44Look, you know, up until Rotherham, we played very, very well. You know, we dismantled Reddon
03:52and beat Bolton and give ourselves a chance. We're disappointed in that Rotherham result.
03:57But that's football. It's this level. And yeah, you pick on, you hopefully, you pick the right team. If you win,
04:07then you pick the right team and you're okay at your job. If you lose it, then we know the consequences.
04:15Ask about Andy Lyons as well. How's he getting on with his brothers?
04:18Andy, yeah, I mean, we're airing caution with him. It's frustrating that we'd love to play him in a couple of games
04:28if possible, but that hasn't been possible for whatever reason. We're really looking now to pre-season
04:35for Andy and putting some games under his belt and letting him really recover. He's back on the grass
04:42since for the last month or so. So he'll be like a new player when I see him. He's joined in training.
04:50It's good to see him around, but we must be wary that he's had a terrible injury and we're just airing on caution with him.
04:57Yeah, when you're doing that planning, you're looking at who you've got. Is he sort of like an added bonus when you do?
05:02Yeah, yeah, when we're doing it, yeah, he's an added bonus. Look, I've been here six months and I've never seen the kid play yet.
05:08I've seen him in training for the last month. In training, he looks a very, very good player.
05:13And by all accounts, when I speak to the staff around the place, he's a very, very good player, the kid.
05:18So we just hope when he comes back in pre-season, he can have a sustained run in the team.
05:24And that's when we'll judge him. I would be silly to risk him in the next couple of weeks.
05:32So we'll let him have the summer and come back for pre-season.
05:35Of course, we're approaching the summer and as we get closer, more transfer rumours will start this week.
05:40Obviously, Niall Ennis has done very well for you on loan. He's attracting interest.
05:43Wean Athletic's been linked in view.
05:46He's the old manager, isn't he? So it doesn't surprise me.
05:49Yeah, he's done very, very well, Niall. He's enjoyed his football here.
05:54We're delighted in what he's done for us. Let's have conversations and see what we can do.
06:00After the last few months, do you want him back except in a tough battle?
06:04Yeah, I would have thought so. Look, the move's done him the world of good.
06:09He's put him back in the spotlight and he's scored a few goals for us, which is good.
06:14All being equally, we'd like to keep him. If I could, if we could, we'll see what happens.
06:19We've got to be mindful of the fact that he belongs to Stoke. So if there's a deal to be done, then let's see what we can do.
06:26Has he expressed how he's feeling beyond this season to you?
06:29I think he's just enjoying it. In the next week or so, I'll have a sit down with him to see where he is and what his thoughts are.
06:36But as I said, Stoke, his parent club are the ones that we have to get past first.
06:42And then some of the other loanies, I think Odell and Elk are both out of contract with their parent club.
06:47I think both of them have got options though, which I would expect with their parent clubs.
06:52Look, we're going to have a busy summer, that's for sure. We've got four or five of the lads on loan who've all done well.
07:00Well, in the real world, we're nice to keep them. But whether that's possible, we'll have to ask our parent club and we will be seeing if any of them are available and we'll ask the question.
07:14Is that going to be your first target this summer to see what he can do with both loanies?
07:18Yeah, they're all at a good age. Elkins is the one really baggered because he's missed a lot with injury, unfortunately.
07:28But certainly, Odell and the goalkeeper have done fantastically well. So has Niall, so has Sammy in a way, but he hasn't played a lot.
07:38But all of them have contributed.
07:41Have you seen enough Elkins to think I'd like to see more of you next season?
07:44Yeah, yeah. As I said, we'll ask the question. He's been unfortunate that he's picked up back-to-back injuries, which really is unfortunate for him.
07:53He's fit now with five games to play, so let's see what we can do.
07:58Stephen, have you been to the Lanx before? Is it going to be on your first trip, sir?
08:02I think I went in pre-season with Westbrook, so that's the only team I went, and they're friendly. I don't think I've been there competitive.
08:10They are a tough old team, so are you expecting very much of that?
08:13Yeah, yeah.
08:14Tough two to beat. Tough place to play, yeah. It's going to be very difficult.
08:17As in my experience with the division, they all are. They're all tough.
08:22But we know if we play well, then we're a very, very good side.
08:26Monday, obviously, we've got Wrexham. The cameras will be in town, the documentary cameras. Are you a fan of the football documentaries? Do you like walls flying the wall?
08:33It's a great story, isn't it? You know, of what they've done for Wrexham. You can only applaud them. Looking from afar, you can only applaud them.
08:42And what they've done, they've had success on the pitch and it's tucked through. Managers did an amazing job.
08:48So, yeah, I'm sure it's not easy at times, but yeah, it's going to be a great atmosphere on Monday.
08:54Have you watched the documentary? Have you seen it? No, I haven't, no.
08:57Have you ever been in a football documentary? Have you ever been sort of that figure? Have you ever been filming?
09:01Not undocumented. A long, long time ago. We did something at Man U a long, long time ago, 30 years ago.
09:10Same behind-the-scenes camera, but that was about it. Not talking about it.
09:14Would you welcome behind-the-scenes cameras here? Are the options available?
09:17I don't think so. I don't think so, no. I don't think we were doing that, were we?