Coventry have announced the departure of their Head of Recruitment Chris Badlan and Chief Scout Stuart Benthom for new roles at Championship rivals Blackpool.
The Seasiders have welcomed the duo into the club immediately, ahead of the departure of current Director of Football Operations John Stephenson in March.
Currently sat in 23rd place, have appointed Badlan as their Sporting Director, working alongside manager Michael Appleton, while Benthom retains a similar role in Lancashire as he did in the Midlands, continuing to working as Chief Scout.
Blackpool Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Chris Badlan as its Sporting Director. https://t.co/K0G90eF16t pic.twitter.com/5PPuVXACG5
— Blackpool FC (@BlackpoolFC) November 30, 2022
What can Blackpool expect?
Coventry's recruitment since Badlan's arrival has been defined by its shrewdness.
All of the Sky Blues' standout performers were brought to St. Andrew's Stadium and later the Coventry Building Society Arena by the department that Badlan headed up.
One of the Championship's most effective forwards this season Viktor Gyokeres was bought from Brighton for a fee of around £1 million, as per CoventryLive, an objective bargain in the modern market.
Gustavo Hamer and Callum O'Hare were also both brought in, the former again for the small matter of £1 million, as per CoventryLive, and the latter on a free transfer.
If Badlan can replicate a similar model of scouting and recruitment in Lancashire, Blackpool fans could be in for a treat in the coming years and the Seasiders' owner Simon Sadler shared the excitement, stating:
“I am excited to welcome Chris to Blackpool Football Club. We ran a comprehensive process with the help of leading recruiters, Nolan & Partners, to ensure we identified the very best candidates.
"The quality of applicant was very high and for me, this reflects how the Club has progressed across the three pillars of coaching, recruitment and Academy. Chris’ work at Coventry City is impressive and something many have admired from afar.
“As a Board, it quickly became apparent that Chris was the right person to take us forward and to bring the football departments together. I am looking forward to him joining us as Sporting Director and working with him to continue to build a Club for us all to be proud of.”
What does it mean for Coventry?
It is a blow for Sky Blues' manager Mark Robins, who will have been looking to build on his side's impressive upturn in form with some more clever recruitment in January.
It adds another layer of uncertainty, following the announcement by Rich Energy founder William Storey that he was considering a challenge over current owners' SISU's sale to businessman Doug King.
SISU responded briefly, by stating:
“The allegation of a breach of exclusivity is untrue and an unwelcome distraction.”
An unwelcome distraction it most certainly is, as City went into the World Cup break having won four games on the bounce, seeing them up to 11th, two points of the play-offs with two games in hand on five of the top six.