U18s coach Alan Lee was disappointed to see his side exit the FA Youth Cup and felt the young Blues didn’t play as well as they can as they were beaten 2-0 at home by Blackpool, who he admitted were deserved victors.
"I’m very disappointed but Blackpool absolutely thoroughly deserved it,” Lee said. "Our lads, we didn’t really give a good account of ourselves, we didn’t play as well as we could.
"I’d just like to say well done to Blackpool and wish them all the best, they probably have a good opportunity to go and get in the final.”
The former striker said the Tangerines, who knocked out Premier League pair West Ham and Southampton in previous rounds, securing an early lead in the sixth minute was a key moment in the match.
"It was the worst thing that could have happened,” he reflected. "We prepared the lads for that, we knew their style of play.
"Our lads have to learn you’ve got to win the fight first and we went in [half-cocked] in the first few minutes, missed a challenge and the next thing the ball ends up in the back of our net with the freekick going through the wall. I was disappointed with the way we conceded those two goals.
"In the second half, we might have had loads of possession but I never got the impression we were going to score and credit to Blackpool.
"I hope our lads learn from it. We’ve been playing very well recently and the lads have been training well and getting better, so now the challenge is will they go on and have the season peter out and fold or use what’s a probably a real burning disappointment as something powerful to get better?
"Because, with the exception of Tristan Nydam, I don’t think we had many out there play as well as they could. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to be professional footballers, but if they don’t learn from tonight that’s probably a bad sign though.”
The visitors were a physical side before the break in particular, something Lee says he was anticipating.
"Yes, and as I said they’ve got to deal with that,” he said. "They’re a well-organised side. You’ve got to be up for the battle. You’ve got to be up for that side of it and come on top.
"We got better at that as the game went on, but they caught us cold. That’s disappointing.”
Lee thanked first-team boss Mick McCarthy, who missed the game as he is understood to have watched Saturday’s opponents Sunderland lose 3-1 at Birmingham, for allowing to field Nydam.
"I’m extremely grateful and I thought he was the best player on the pitch,” the former Irish international added.
Grays Athletic midfielder Kai Brown, 16, is understood to be close to joining the academy as a scholar prior to tomorrow night’s deadline having recently spent time on trial at Playford Road, scoring for Lee’s side in their 2-2 draw at Millwall.
"From what I’ve seen he’s a good player, a young lad, he’ll probably take a bit of time to settle in if he does come, but he’s definitely someone we can work with,” Lee added.