Blackpool are closing in on the appointment of Mick McCarthy with the 63-year-old and his representatives set to finalise this switch today, according to a report from Football Insider.

Contract negotiations are yet to be concluded but if they go according to plan, the ex-Ipswich Town boss will become the Seasiders' new manager, with the club aiming to seal a quick appointment following Michael Appleton's dismissal.

Appleton's sacking was only confirmed by the club yesterday, though it has been claimed by Alan Nixon that the decision to relieve him of his duties was taken before the Watford game, giving them the opportunity to weigh up who his successor should be.

Although other names have been linked with the top job including Manchester United coach Eric Ramsay and former Everton caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson, McCarthy has always been the leading candidate according to reports.

And this move could potentially be wrapped up today with McCarthy and his team now set to head to Bloomfield Road this afternoon to finalise an agreement and end his period of time out of the game following his departure from Cardiff City in October 2021.

According to this report from Football Insider, he is even expected to be in the dugout for Saturday afternoon's home clash against Huddersfield Town.

The Verdict:

Clubs are often in limbo when a caretaker manager is appointed and that's the last thing the Seasiders need in their quest to survive - because they aren't in a great position at this stage.

Desperately needing someone to come in and make a good impact, McCarthy was initially able to do that at Cardiff before his downfall in the Welsh capital and that fast start should give the Seasiders hope.

Many people will doubt whether he should take the Lancashire side forward for the long term but if his deal is only until the end of the campaign, many Blackpool supporters will probably be satisfied with that.

With the CV he has, he should be able to do a good job at Bloomfield Road and with some new signings at his disposal as well, they should be able to make an impact too so there are reasons to be optimistic if you're a fan of the Championship club.

The pressure is on though - and you feel McCarthy will be able to mitigate the effects of that considering his experience and the different situations he's been in during his managerial career.