Neil Critchley speaks out on defender’s new Blackpool deal

Blackpool boss Neil Critchley has spoken out following Marvin Ekpiteta’s new Blackpool deal. 

The 26-year-old signed a new four-year contract at Bloomfield Road earlier this week and has now come in for praise from Critchley.

Speaking to the Blackpool club website, the Seasiders boss said Ekpiteta had been ‘outstanding’ since he joined the club back in 2020.

“Marvin has been outstanding since day one of being here,” Critchley said via the club website.

“He’s made big strides and improved a lot, and that’s down to his mentality because he always seems to step up and thrive with a new challenge.”

“For him to commit his future to the Club, and for us to have the support in being able to do that, is brilliant.”

“Trying to keep your best players is really important and Marvin, in the last two seasons, has been one of our top performers.”

Ekpiteta played a key role in the Blackpool side that won promotion to the Championship via the League One play-offs last season, appearing for the Seasiders 34 times last campaign.

Similarly, this season, he has been a mainstay in the Blackpool defence, appearing 30 times in the league as the Seasiders look set to comfortably stay in the second-tier.

Heaping further praise onto Ekpiteta, Critchley applauded his hunger and desire to keep on improving.

“He’s got all the characteristics that we want of a football player at Blackpool.” he explained.

He’s got that hunger, desire and willingness to keep improving, and he’s just consistent in terms of his application and his behaviours.

He doesn’t get too high with succesplayed a s or low with mistakes. He has a really consistent mentality, and that’s why he continues to improve”

It’s great to see Marvin Ekpiteta’s performances at Blackpool being