Blackpool have been given permission by Cheltenham Town to speak to manager Michael Duff about succeeding Neil Critchley.

The Championship side were left in a difficult position after the former Liverpool youth coach made the surprising decision to leave the Tangerines to work as Steven Gerrard's assistant at Aston Villa.

So, they are on the lookout for a new boss and Gloucestershire Live have revealed that Duff is firmly on their radar.

They have confirmed Blackpool have been allowed to speak to the 44-year-old, who has an excellent reputation in the game after the fine work he has done with the Robins over the years, which included winning promotion to League One.

However, it's not going to be straightforward for the Seasiders to get the deal done, as Duff is also interesting Barnsley as they search for a new boss, whilst Cheltenham have also put an improved contract offer to the manager.

Dean Holden is another name in the frame to land the job at Bloomfield Road, although they are yet to make an approach to speak to him about the role.

The verdict

This would be a smart appointment for Blackpool because Duff has shown in the past few years that he is a very talented coach.

He has brought success to Cheltenham and achieved a good mid-table just with the side despite working on a budget that was far smaller than many of their rivals in the league.

So, the next step in his career would be to the Championship but Blackpool will need to convince Duff with a long-term project.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.