Derby County coach Liam Rosenior and Bolton Wanderers manager Ian Evatt are both on Blackpool's radar as they seek a replacement for Neil Critchley, according to Alan Nixon on Patreon.

Critchley departed the Seasiders after two years in charge on Thursday in a surprise move to Aston Villa, where he will be an assistant to Steven Gerrard.

It has left the hierarchy scrambling to find a replacement for the 43-year-old before pre-season starts later this month, with the 2022-23 EFL season starting a week earlier than usual thanks to the mid-season FIFA World Cup.

The Tangerines have made an approach to Cheltenham Town for manager Michael Duff, according to Jon Palmer, but the former Northern Ireland international defender isn't the only individual on the club's radar.

One man who is in the frame is Bolton boss Evatt, who spent seven years as a player at Bloomfield Road, featuring for them in the Premier League, and has already won two promotions in his short managerial career already.

He is joined by Derby County assistant Rosenior, who is Wayne Rooney's right-hand man at Pride Park and has been at the Rams for three years, having initially been appointed as a coach by Phillip Cocu.

Blackpool are said to be admirers of the 37-year-old though by Nixon, and an approach could be made to both men as well as Duff.

The Verdict

Blackpool appear to be considering a couple of different kind of candidates to replace Critchley, but all are relatively short into their times as coaches.

On one hand you have Rosenior, who is yet to test his mettle as a leading man, but he would be exactly the kind of fit that Critchley was two years ago when he arrived from Liverpool.

Evatt and Duff are different though in the sense that they've worked in the lower leagues, but have shown enough to suggest they'd be able to cope with managing in the Championship.

It is not likely to be a sudden appointment at Bloomfield Road though, meaning that the club can consider their options over the coming weeks.