Ian Holloway has lamented his failure to capture top target DJ Campbell ahead of the new season.
Tangerines boss sorry to miss out on Foxes striker
Ian Holloway has lamented his failure to capture top target DJ Campbell ahead of Blackpool's debut Premier League campaign.
The Pool boss, who guided his team to promotion from the Championship last season, has tabled repeated offers, the highest of which was over £1million, for the Leicester striker.
However, the Foxes have chosen to keep hold of the 28-year-old, who netted 11 goals in 17 games while on loan at Bloomfield Road last term, largely due to new manager Paulo Sousa wanting the prolific forward in his side.
Regret
"The one I wanted to do more than anything else was DJ. I'm sorry I am not in control of that," Holloway told the
Blackpool Gazette.
"We're not going to pay £2m or £3m for him because he is 28, but I tried my utmost and we almost did it.
"It was almost there, then his club turned round and said no. And the boy has now scored five goals in his last five games."
Meanwhile, Tangerines chairman Karl Oyston has confirmed the club's players have been paid their bonuses for winning promotion.
Reports had indicated some members of the Pool squad were unhappy having not received the money on arriving back for pre-season training this summer.
But the cash has now been distributed, and Oyston hopes the players will bring in further bonuses this campaign by avoiding relegation.
Deserved
"I think they deserved it," said Oyston.
"I don't know if it caused any dissent. Maybe one or two players thought we'd be there handing them a bagful of money as they walked off the pitch (at Wembley after their play-off final victory over Cardiff in May).
"But we didn't get the first chunk of Premier League money in the bank until Thursday and they (the players) have received it.
"I'm delighted about that and I hope they earn another £5million this year by keeping us in Premier League."
