Photo: AFP
By Mark Ogden
Last Updated: 10:37PM BST 18/05/2011
Take a bow: Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is in a fighting mood as he takes his entertaining side to Manchester United with a chance to enjoy a Premier League party
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has made the astonishing claim that the Premier League would be “relieved” to see his club relegated.
He also said he was insulted by suggestions the only way his side could beat Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday was if the champions fielded a weakened team.
Holloway, who bemoaned the “mad” and “surreal” world of top-flight football during an explosive press conference on Wednesday, remains angered by the Premier League’s decision to fine Blackpool £25,000 after he fielded an under-strength team at Aston Villa last November.
But with Blackpool facing United with their Premier League future hanging by a thread, Holloway claims the game’s authorities will shed no tears should the Lancashire club be relegated.
“They will be relieved if we lose and get relegated.” Holloway said. “Then I am not badgering all these people who don’t do their jobs very well. They will be relieved because I won’t then be sat here saying what I am saying.
“Already, our division is saying we can’t beat Manchester United. It does us a massive disrespect. They think we can only beat United if they are weak. What a load of baloney. Unfortunately, that is what we are dealing with.
“I am glad I don’t go to work thinking that, otherwise I would never have got promoted last year. That attitude offends me. I take it as a personal insult that, if we beat United, they might get fined because we are supposed to be crap. I don’t understand. Aren’t we capable of winning?”
As he prepares to face the biggest, most daunting challenge of his managerial career, it was fitting that Holloway arrived to discuss Blackpool’s fate having seemingly dressed himself as Rocky Balboa.
Wearing a body-warmer, jogging bottoms and hooded top, he appeared ready for a fight on Blackpool’s behalf. But he goes into Sunday’s clash with United, where Blackpool could be relegated with a victory or survive with a defeat, in the role as the undisputed people’s champion.
“Someone in the gym came up to me last night and he said, ‘Fantastic, thanks for entertaining us’.” Holloway said. “It takes something to speak to someone on the treadmill beside you when you’re running and can hardly breathe to say, ‘Well done!’ At first I didn’t get it, but that’s great.
“We live in the world of money and we are the club with the least in the history of it, yet we have played some fantastic football and have the chance to stay up.
“The disappointment if we go down would be massive. It’s too hard and too emotional to put into words.”
Having taken six points off Liverpool, secured five away victories and given United the fright of their life when leading 2-0 before falling to a 3-2 defeat against the champions at Bloomfield Road in January, Blackpool have won many admirers.
Yet there have been too many seven-goal thrillers in tangerine this season. Too many points lost by a failure to grind out results and, in Holloway’s words, “shut up shop”.
“My contingency plan is exactly the same as it has been for the last two years,” Holloway said. “We’re going to try to outscore this lot in front of us and when we’ve got one goal, let’s go and get another one because we are no good at shutting up shop.
“Our shop never closes. It could be those late-night openings which cost us our position because we’ve conceded a few late goals, haven’t we?
“Blackburn away, 2-0 up, how important was that one? How important are the two points which got away at Tottenham? But for us to go Old Trafford on Sunday is fitting. I think we deserve it and I think we deserve a crack at trying to do the impossible.
“I wouldn’t pick any other game or team than United. I want this one because I believe it’s set up for us to have a tremendous day.
“Imagine what it might mean if we are celebrating at Manchester United. I imagine them having a party and us having a party with them. It would be in keeping with our journey so far to do it there because, realistically, our journey is a bit special.”
Holloway believes the build-up to Blackpool’s date with destiny has been marred by negativity, however.
A meeting of the club’s first-team squad was called on Tuesday to inform the players who would be retained and which unlucky ones would be released this summer. Seven players are to be released, including two, who Holloway would not name publicly, who could be involved at Old Trafford.
And despite taking Blackpool to the brink of survival against all the odds, Holloway admits he has been angered by his chairman, Karl Oyston, being asked whether his manager’s position would be safe should the club be relegated.
“That question gets to me.” Holloway said. “It’s brilliant, isn’t it? I’m watching TV with questions being asked about my future, and some bloke patted me on the back and said: ‘Well done, you’ve still got a job’.
"The question was asked because West Ham sacked their manager. But we’re not West Ham. We have got 39 points with a budget of £10 million, so I find it quite hilarious to be honest.
“The chairman has backed me right from the time of my interview two years ago, and that’s how it should be. I never undermine my chairman, and he never undermines me.
“This whole industry is unreal, but I don’t know any other, so I’m having a go at it. This week, of all weeks, I’ve had to tell seven of my players that we will be releasing them.
“All the contract options, which we do so cleverly, have had to be taken up as if we were still in the Championship, and because the rules state players have to be told by the third Thursday in May, we had to tell them this week.
“We contacted the league and tried to get it pushed back a week, but were told there’s no leeway on that, which is just great. It’s been hideous.
“So amongst all this wonderful euphoria from playing so well and giving ourselves a chance by beating Bolton last Saturday, we have had to tell certain players they no longer have a contract or that we’ve taken up options that will see their wages cut. So now we’ll see whether I’m any good as a motivator this weekend!”
But despite United’s 13-month unbeaten record at Old Trafford, Holloway is not giving up hope. “We know we can beat them because of what happened here [in January], but as Fairground Attraction sung: ‘It’s got to be perfect!’ We could win and go down, or lose and stay up, so it promises to be a crazy day. Quite surreal.”
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