Michael Ihiekwe discusses why Blackpool stood out above others following his Sheffield Wednesday exit.
Blackpool’s new recruit Michael Ihiekwe states the club’s target is clear – with Steve Bruce’s ambition being one of the key factors behind his move to Bloomfield Road.
The centre defender will officially join the Seasiders at the beginning of next month, having signed a three-year contract with the Fylde Coast club.
Following his release by Sheffield Wednesday, the 32-year-old was linked with many teams before being announced as a Blackpool player last week.
Huddersfield Town and Port Vale were reportedly interested in Ihiekwe, but neither could outweigh the Seasiders’ main selling qualities. “You’d be silly not to listen to other clubs and their pitches, but as soon as I met Steve Bruce it was a big thing for me to work with someone like that,” the defensive back explained. “He told me about the club’s aspirations and plans. Right instantly, that was at the top of my list. He was a huge difference maker.
“In the past, managers would call you all the time and exert pressure; obviously, you had to do that to some extent, but he struck a really beautiful balance between giving me time and allowing me to make my own decision. “I first contacted Downesy (David Downes), who played an important role in it. He’s a fantastic individual. He brought me in on Wednesday, so I had several chats with him before signing here. I trusted him since I had known him before.
“I still want to be ambitious and play in a higher league, so perhaps we can make that happen. You need a strong backbone at this level, and the squad is now very excellent. “Hopefully we can make a few good adjustments, start the season well, and go from there.”
Sheffield Wednesday exit
Ihiekwe is no stranger to success in League One, having earned promotion to the Championship four times, three with Rotherham United and the other with Wednesday. During his tenure at Hillsborough, the defender made 82 appearances for the Owls, and after falling out of favour in the early part of last season, he clawed his way back to be a crucial player for Danny Röhl in his last months in South Yorkshire. Despite his impressive performances in the Championship, Ihiekwe was not granted a new contract by the Owls. “That’s football for you, managers and staff make certain decisions, and you’ve got to deal with that,” according to him.
“There’s a terrific group of men and staff there, and I wish them all the best. “I have fond memories of my time there; we had our ups and downs.” I suffered a serious knee injury in my first season, but I was able to return for the play-offs and get promoted. “I enjoyed my time there.”
Defensive competition at Bloomfield Road
Ihiekwe became Blackpool’s second signing of the window, following the arrival of Fraser Horsfall less than 24 hours earlier. The centre back, who was part of Stockport County’s promotion to League One, has signed a four-year contract with the Seasiders after his contract with the Hatters expired, and will try to build on a successful season at Edgeley Park in the third tier.
Olly Casey has been a prominent figure at Bloomfield Road in previous years, and he will compete with the two new additions for defensive positions next season. “That’s a strong group of centre backs,” Ihiekwe remarked. “It only bodes well since you can motivate each other throughout the season to keep your shirt. “I always want to improve, and I’ve still got plenty of years of playing.”
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