Source: Bournemouth_Echo
Cherries: Uncertainty at Blackpool has to be a worry for Brett
ON the first day of the Bournemouth Air Festival, it was ironic that Brett Pitman's move to Blackpool should end last night well and truly up in the air. Pitman yesterday flew to the North West for talks after Cherries chairman Eddie Mitchell on Wednesday accepted a bid, understood to have been worth around £600,000, for Pitman from the Premier League new boys. Within hours, Seasiders chairman Karl Oyston had mysteriously stepped down, while boss Ian Holloway tried to keep up his humour levels when grilled by the press at Bloomfield Road yesterday. At some point yesterday afternoon, Pitman underwent a medical and the deal looked all but done. By 8pm, however, Echo sources claimed Pitman had left Lancashire after failing to agree personal terms with Seasiders chiefs despite a long day of discussions. Incredibly, Pitman could yet line up for Cherries at Tranmere tomorrow in what would be the strangest conclusion to a bizarre saga that has rumbled on since January. The Echo was first to reveal Holloway's interest in the 22-year-old Channel Islander at the turn of the year, but a firm offer for Pitman's services was only made by Oyston late on Tuesday night. That bid was rejected by Mitchell, but just hours later, a second deal was agreed between the two clubs and Pitman was given permission to talk to Holloway. But Oyston's decision to relinquish his role as chairman appears to have upset the apple cart at Bloomfield Road, with Holloway yesterday describing some players as monsters. Holloway told the press yesterday: These lads that are given far too much, too soon, are monsters in my opinion. They behave wrongly, they don't portray what a professional footballer should be as a role model and they get far too much too soon and they waste it. So my job's to produce a proper player and a proper person first. Osyton's disillusionment with the business side of football is understood to have been behind his decision to vacate the chairman's office and with Holloway working under a strict wage cap, it has only been in the past week that the former Leicester boss has been able to bolster his resources. That uncertainty could well have worried Pitman and his representatives, while Holloway's suggestion that he would walk away from Bloomfield Road if Oyston did the same would have been a major concern for the player. When asked about Pitman, Holloway added: He epitomises us we are a bunch of people who need to make a name for ourselves. Whatever has happened in our careers, we have to re-prove what we are all about. I think he is one of those who is fresh and hungry and who wants a chance at a higher level. I believe he can score at any level from what I've seen and I want to give him that opportunity to join my lads. He is a centre-forward who might be able to put the ball in other people's nets for us and he does it in style with great finishing and great technique. If I can rub off on him how he should work and where he should move, then I don't care where he has started it is where he is going to get to that matters. I think he will relish this challenge. While the Echo understands Pitman's move north could yet be re-ignited, sources close to the striker suggested he was |last night preparing to link up with his Cherries team-mates on the Wirral today, ahead of tomorrow's clash at Prenton Park. Both Cherries boss Eddie Howe and Pitman were unavailable for comment when contacted by the Echo last night.