CONOR Hourihane is looking forward to coming up against his former manager Steve Bruce when Barnsley travel to Blackpool for a 12.30pm kick-off on Saturday.
The Tangerines have lost five of their seven league games so far this season.
They are second-bottom with four points, only above Peterborough on goal difference, and 12 points off Barnsley.
Their only league win was a 3-2 success at home to Huddersfield Town on August 16 after which they have lost at Mansfield, Plymouth and Northampton without scoring while drawing 1-1 with Bolton in their last home game.
They followed the 1-0 loss at Northampton on Saturday with a 5-0 win at home to League Two Barrow in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday with a much-changed team.
Hourihane told the Chronicle: “We’ve been monitoring, assessing, watching and analysing Blackpool and working on how we can go about our business against them.
“We know their shape is quite consistent.
“They have really good individuals.
“They had a cup win which will boost morale.
“We kept an eye on that to give us an inkling of who might play at the weekend.
“They have some really good players.
“They have good strikers who they can rotate, really good wide players and a talented squad. It’s something we’ll be fully ready for.”
He added: “I thought they would have been in a strong position with the squad and the money they spent. But we know they are big, big threat.
“It’s only early in the season.
“I fully expect them to get going.
“They have a talented group and sometimes it takes a little bit of time to gel.
“They will obviously be disappointed with the start that they have had but they are fully capable of a run of five or six wins in a row.
“We need to do our homework and be fully prepared to not let them start their run at the weekend.”
Barnsley lost their last away game at Wimbledon four weeks ago, having won at Plymouth and Peterborough previously, but they have since won three home games in all competitions.
Hourihane said: “We’re looking forward to it.
“We’ve had a good couple of home results in the last few weeks.
“We’re back on the road again and we’re looking forward to getting that going as well.”
Blackpool’s manager Steve Bruce signed Hourihane from Barnsley for Aston Villa in 2017 while Richard Keogh was his first team coach last season before he moved to Oakwell this summer.
Bruce’s assistant is former Barnsley player Steve Agnew.
Veteran boss Bruce has managed against Barnsley 17 times, losing six and winning nine including the last four meetings – with a Villa side that included Hourihane, West Brom and Blackpool.
Conor said: “I know Brucey well. I saw him a few weeks ago. He’s a really, really good guy and I respect him massively. The career he’s had is unbelievable.
“When you sit on this side of the table, knowing the energy and work you have to put in every single day, and look at managers like him and David Moyes, the longevity and appetite is incredible.
“I have nothing but respect for Brucey. I am looking forward to testing myself against someone so experienced.”
Blackpool won 3-0 at Oakwell in March, which led to the sacking of Darrell Clarke who was replaced by Hourihane.
One of the scorers was Ashley Fletcher who played with Hourihane during the 2015/16 promotion season when on loan from Manchester United to Barnsley.
The two clubs have met 110 times with Barnsley winning 47 times and losing 38 including six of the last seven meetings.
Barnsley won 2-1 at Bloomfield Road last season with Davis Keillor-Dunn and Marc Roberts scoring.
