New Blackpool head coach Mick McCarthy believes the threat of a potential pay cut should focus the minds of his squad as they try to avoid relegation.
The 63-year-old was appointed last week to steer the second-from-bottom Championship side to safety and admits that takes priority over Saturday’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Southampton.
Blackpool’s solitary win in 11 matches since October came against much-changed Premier League opposition in Nottingham Forest side in the previous round but there is more emphasis being placed on next weekend’s trip to Middlesbrough.
“We have been preparing for an FA Cup tie but with all the best will in the world I have an eye on the league and I expect the players will have an eye on the league,” said McCarthy.
“I don’t know what their circumstances are in terms of contracts and whether they get less if they are in League One but if they do they should all be running around like blue-a***d flies in the next three months to make sure we stay in this division.”
McCarthy, whose contract is only to the end of the season, is under no illusions about the job he has been brought in to do.
Sporting director Chris Badlan said his appointment gave the club “the best opportunity to maintain our Championship status”.
“Listen, if I was to get to the final and win it, wouldn’t that be great? But the reality is I’ve been brought in to try to help the club stay in the league,” added McCarthy, back in football after more than 14 months out.
“A win on Saturday would be brilliant because that would give us some momentum for Middlesbrough coming up the following week and games to come.
“I hope we win it and on Monday they (the players) are all saying they expect to play again.
“But if we don’t I’ll be expecting the ones I haven’t picked to be training like they should be playing and be lined up ready to come knocking on my door telling me they should be in.”
McCarthy has only been in the post for a week and admits he will need more time to get across his message.
“Building a base for the rest of the season,” he said of what his week had been like.
“Fundamentals are what I expect and demand of players and that is what we have been pretty much been laying down in the last couple of days.
“You try that but that has to be an ongoing thing, you have to keep dripping that in, all the standards you want.”
On-loan Brentford centre-back Charlie Goode, who joined earlier this week, is set to make his debut but fellow defender Marvin Ekpiteta (hamstring) is out until the end of February.
