lifted*fox Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 No regrets for OllieOllie reflects on life at Leicester, Plymouth and QPR When Ian Holloway moved from Plymouth to Leicester last season, many people were surprised by his decision. Last November, Argyle looked like contenders for a place in the Championship play-offs and Holloway was seen as a hero around the town, while Leicester were scrapping it out at the wrong end of the table and had been through three full-time managers in less than a year. However, Holloway decided to move to the Midlands and was ultimately unable to improve Leicester's fortunes as the club were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history. Despite the benefit of hindsight, Holloway insists he made the right decision to leave Plymouth because of behind-the scenes problems, most notably the fact that many of his players were out of contract at the end of the season. "There were other things off the field that people didn't really know about," Holloway told Soccer Extra. "At this precise moment in time I feel I made the right decision. I didn't want to do what Paul Sturrock is trying to do, which is rebuild a team. "We started last season with a good team, but by the end of the season 13 players would be out of contract. "We kept talking about who we were going to keep and how much we were going to give them. They had them on such small contracts, which is great management, but the players had started to win in the Championship and other teams had seen that so they were going to be sought after. "They were going to walk out on Bosman rulings. We'd had it happen the year before when Tony Capaldi went to Cardiff and he told some of his mates how much he was getting. "We inherited a problem at Plymouth and I realised the more we were talking about it the more we couldn't solve it and I didn't want to do that any more." Devastated Holloway admits he was "devastated" by Leicester's relegation and his subsequent departure from the club, but feels just one goal in their final few games of the season might have saved them from the drop. However, he says the club has reached its lowest point and will bounce back under new manager Nigel Pearson. "Even now I still can't believe how we didn't get one goal in any one of 10 games," he said. "Bristol City at home or even Stoke on the last day of the season... we just needed one goal. The chances we missed were unbelievable. "I believe they're in a better place now and I believe Nigel's going to take them forward. "The players that they have got there are going to be strong in that division and they're building. Every club needs to bottom out and I think they bottomed out last summer. "It was devastating for me because life's all about timing and that was wrong as it was proved. "But I wish them all the very best. Their supporters are absolutely outstanding." Experience Holloway also chatted about his experience at QPR, whom he managed for five years with relative success considering the difficult financial position the club was in during his reign. Things are very different at Loftus Road these days following a takeover by multi-millionaires Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, but Holloway insists money won't necessarily guarantee success. However, he believes that Iain Dowie is the right man to win promotion for QPR, as long as he is allowed to do things his way. "At the end of the day if Iain Dowe's given the chance to spend money, he's got a proven record of taking a team to the Premier League. I hope it works for him. "You're talking about new directors and new owners and with the greatest respect to them, they have to learn that this is a different business and you have to trust people who know what they're doing. "It must be difficult for them because they've got all the money in the world, but it's about building a spirit within the squad that is strong. Sometimes that doesn't happen no matter how much money you've got. "I believe Iain will do it and I'm very proud that I was left holding that baby at a time when no-one else wanted to. "I had five different boards at that football club. They were on about merging with Wimbledon, which would never have worked, and I'm proud of what every one of us achieved at that club - the players and Kenny Jackett when he joined me. We were in administration and we literally couldn't buy a bar of soap without asking the administrators. "It's a great club and I hope their fans are given what they want, which is top-flight football again." Holloway says he is keen to return to football management when a job comes along, despite the difficulties and the frustrations of working in professional football. "It's the politics that kills you in management, it really does," he added. "You can never really make a decision. You've always got to get it through other people. You've got your players and you've got your squad, but you're never totally and utterly in control. "It's everywhere. Any manager can try to make decisions - you can buy a player, but if he gets injured then before you know it you've lost your main striker. You're not really in control. "What you do is you learn to firefight and you get on with it. The clubs I've been at I've always had to do that because I've had limited budgets."
GLC Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 i liked ollie, n atleast he always waved he made such a big effort to wave 2 us, n ill always remember the barnsley game! good luck to him!
Durnerz Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 His heart and focus were never in this job, too bothered about craving sympathy for what he'd been left with. As far as i'm concerned he can piss off and I hope he never gets another job in football, media whore.
Ricey Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 I will never hate Holloway, I think he is a good man and a good manager.....however I don't think he was right for us at the time when he came in. Nice comments from him aswell.
Nationwider Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 It would be nice if he were humble enough to say, "I got this or that wrong", and publically accept even a small portion of the blame. The buck still appears to stop with missed chances and timing, whatever the hell that means.
Lovejoy Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Shouldn't this be in "general football & sport"? As far as I'm concerned Ian Holloway has nothing more to do with Leicester City, he is merely a thing of the past (and not a particularly pleasant one at that).
Asha Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Shouldn't this be in "general football & sport"? As far as I'm concerned Ian Holloway has nothing more to do with Leicester City, he is merely a thing of the past (and not a particularly pleasant one at that). Yeah, not a LCFC topic anymore.
Uncle Albert Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 I liked Ollie and I just think he was out of his depth at Leicester to be honest. Good enough interview but would of been nice if he did come out and say "Yes I got it wrong" but if wishes were fishes the world would be an ocean.
Daggers Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 It would be nice if he were humble enough to say, "I got this or that wrong", and publically accept even a small portion of the blame.The buck still appears to stop with missed chances and timing, whatever the hell that means. I'd love to say that I totally agree - but I can't. All I can say is: Everyone talk about - mmmm - Pop music!
Flynny Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Shouldn't this be in "general football & sport"? As far as I'm concerned Ian Holloway has nothing more to do with Leicester City, he is merely a thing of the past (and not a particularly pleasant one at that). Ex-manager talking about us is firmly in here. The guy's obviously a decent bloke, and he DID have some shit luck on top of his tactical blundering which only got worse as the season went on. It'd be nice to hear him admit he panicked though. I'm not going to say "I wish him luck in his every endeavour" but I don't dislike him. Probably means he's suckered me or something but ah well.
Lovejoy Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Ex-manager talking about us is firmly in here.The guy's obviously a decent bloke, and he DID have some shit luck on top of his tactical blundering which only got worse as the season went on. It'd be nice to hear him admit he panicked though. I'm not going to say "I wish him luck in his every endeavour" but I don't dislike him. Probably means he's suckered me or something but ah well. I agree the man is a decent bloke, but times change! I don't particularly dislike him, but what happened happenened, and now he is history.
Flynny Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Ex-manager talking about us is firmly in here. Cheers whoever! Thanks a lot
TrickyTrev Posted 25 August 2008 Posted 25 August 2008 Every club needs to bottom out Not sure thats right Ian.
Corky Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 The fact he hasn't taken the blame for our relegation still grates on me, and I feel he was distracted by his media column. I also felt he didn't realise how serious our plight was until too late. Anyway, I don't dislike him and will wish him the best for the future.
Ultra Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 I will never hate Holloway, I think he is a good man and a good manager.....however I don't think he was right for us at the time when he came in.Nice comments from him aswell. Sorry, but the six months that he spent with us prove that he is NOT a good manager - otherwise we wouldn't have been relegated. Obviously not all the blame can be laid at his door alone (the players, the chairman and previous bosses had a significant role too), but like Peter Taylor before him, he doesn't seem able to hold his hand up and admit he got things wrong. But I'm sure other clubs will have their own opinion of his record at City. Don't expect Holloway to return to the game, at least at Championship level, any time soon.
Stevosevic Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 He's had three relegations in his career, what good manager has that on his CV?
MC Prussian Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 I don't regret he's left. In fact, my only regret is that he didn't leave earlier.
davieG Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 On a personal level, having read his book he comes across as a caring likeable human being. On a football level he's still the manager of a team QPR who played a major part in the worst game of football I've witnessed at any level in over 40+ years. As for last season he can't be blamed for us finishing in the bottom half but he's more than to blame for us being relegated.
Darkzzz_ Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 Yeah good luck to him, he does not have any connections with Leicester City present just with Leicester City past. Which for him will forever tarnish his CV and our history. But..... I wish him well human to human. Nigel's army....
Thracian Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 I don't regret he's left. In fact, my only regret is that he didn't leave earlier. I regret that he ever arrived.
Guest Bilo Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 I regret that he ever arrived. Should have been Tigana, I said at the time and I maintain the same to this day.
Tilley Posted 26 August 2008 Posted 26 August 2008 Should have been Tigana, I said at the time and I maintain the same to this day. Raj? is that you
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