Ex-Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy explains why took the Blackpool job - despite being told it's a mad decision

The 63-year-old has been appointed at Bloomfield Road until the end of the season, with the club expected to reassess the situation in the summer.

First, Blackpool must try to avoid relegation from the Championship, following a ten-match winless run in the league which has seen the club slip to 23rd in the table.

“It feels great to be here,” McCarthy told Tangerine TV. “It feels great to be back in the game and at a club where I’ve had plenty of games – some good, some bad and some indifferent, but always enjoyable.

“I want to get back in the game, I’ve been out of the game for 12 months.

“I guess I have a bit of history inheriting teams when they’ve just had a bit of a struggle and managed to get them out of that. Hopefully that will be the same again. When we stay up we can all be happy and make it look like a good decision.

“Everyone will have an opinion on it, but I have got experience of getting teams out of trouble when they’re at the bottom of the league.

“It’s an enjoyable job, but it’s a tough old gig. I’ve had over 1,000 games in football and I’ve got mates in the game who tell me I’m mad, that I’m off my head going back in but no, I want to go back in because I love it.

“I love being on the training ground, my assistant Terry (Connor) is desperate to get back in and we’ve been out for over 12 months now. That’s a long time, it’s too long, so I’m thrilled to be back in.”

McCarthy’s first game in charge of The Tangerines will come against relegation rivals Huddersfield at Bloomfield Road this weekend.

Sunderland have already played Blackpool twice in the Championship this season, playing out a goalless stalemate at the Stadium of Light and a 1-1 draw in January’s reverse fixture.