Blackpool have identified Brighton Under 23's coach Simon Rusk as a potential candidate to take over the vacant managerial post at Bloomfield Road, a report from Football Insider has claimed.
The Seasiders are searching for a new manager after sacking Simon Grayson earlier this month, following a run of just one win in 12 games in all competitions.
Now it seems as though Rusk could be in line to replace Grayson in the Bloomfield Road dugout, but only after the Tangerines missed out on another potential candidate.
According to the latest reports, Blackpool have turned their attention to Rusk after seeing an approach for Karl Robinson rejected by League One rivals Oxford United, leaving them to search for other options.
Rusk joined Brighton's Under 23's side in 2015 having previously worked with their Under 18's team, and helped them win promotion to the Premier League 2 Division 1 - the highest tier of English Under 23's football - during the 2017/18 campaign, with the Seagulls' young side currently third in the 12-team division.
The 38-year-old has been credited with bringing through a number of the club's current first-team players, while also working with the Premier League club's senior side on occasion, although he has never actually has a senior managerial appointment of his own.
Since the sacking of Grayson, first-team coach David Dunn has been in charge of first-team affairs at Blackpool, overseeing a 2-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers, a 0-0 draw with AFC Wimbledon, and a 2-1 win Bolton Wanderers in his three games at the helm.
The Seasiders are currently 14th in the League One standings, 14 points adrift of the play-off places with 12 games of their season remaining.
The Verdict
This is an interesting one.
Rusk certainly does seem to have some strong credentials at youth level behind him, and Blackpool will be looking for that sort of winning mentality as they look to force their way back into the Championship sooner rather than later.
However, the fact that he has yet to manage at senior level may be something of a concern, given there is always going to be that question of whether or not someone is capable of making that step up for the first time.
Even so, the fact that he does have experience with Brighton's first-team does could at least help him in some respects there, and with the number of games in the season still to play quickly falling, you feel Blackpool need to move sooner rather than later if they are to have any hope of snatching a play-off spot this season, meaning a quick move here for Rusk, may not be the worst thing they can do.