Thank-you,Blackpool,Ian Hollaway & Charlie Adam.

[Skint Gull]

Its easy to say that now, but back in January there was no way of telling if they would finish bottom by a mile, or survive quite easily

Agreed, and I can understand the caution last summer but I suspect that in January they had 20 points more than they expected to have so it was worth a shot to stay up. A few million on a couple of players could have made all the difference

 

[Easy 10]

If Holloway is such an amazing manager and has done such an incredible job, then why couldn't he get his team to defend ? Sure they scored lots of goals, but thats only HALF the job isn't it ? I think the BBC put a stat up showing something like a dozen games where they'd scored 2 goals or more and yet failed to win. Holloway failed to address their defensive deficiencies, and thats why they dropped like a stone from the turn of the year and ended up relegated.

Now Holloway will have £48m in the coffers over the next 4 years (2 x £16m for the first 2 years, 2 x £8m for the following 2 years). Thats a MASSIVE advantage to hold over the rest of this division going into the next 4 seasons (along with Brum and West Ham), so there's really no excuse for Blackpool not to make the top 6 at least next season. Or is Holloway going to declare that to be some kind of fanciful, impossible dream from the outset ?

Think I can guess.

 

[Spiros]

Still I'd rather see a more entertaining approach. The older gits on here may remember what it was like when we made it to the top flight. First season seemed a bit unreal and we just survived. Then Mike Bailey came in as manager and we got better at surviving but god was it boring. I'd much rather see exciting and entertaining games that result in relegation than the stifling boredom and survival. After too many games of watching both sides play the offside trap I got fed up and stopped going. What's the point of your team staying up if it's too boring to watch?

Easy - I agree that Holloway isn't a fantastic manager, just a reasonably good one who is a bit of a character. I'll always thank him for selling Zamora to us. I think his team plays in his image

 

[Easy 10]

Easy - I agree that Holloway isn't a fantastic manager, just a reasonably good one who is a bit of a character. I'll always thank him for selling Zamora to us. I think his team plays in his image

Not his finest bit of business, leaving Zamora to rot in the Bristol Rovers ressies. Even the 6 goals in 6 games on loan to us didn't convince him he had a gem there, £100k that summer was a steal. I appreciate this is with the luxury of hindsight now, but as I say, that 6 in 6 should perhaps have given him a clue as to just what they had on their hands there.

Bit of a character yes. Would I want him at the Albion ? Nah.

 

[keaton]

I don't think anyone, least of all Holloway is suggesting he's a brilliant manager.

He is definetely a very good manager by getting Blackpool into the premeirship and very nearly keeping them up with a tiny budget. He was interesting, I don't remember him whinging too much about refs, players or manager and they played some brilliant attacking football.

The minority who seem to hate Hollaway and Blackpool seem to me like they're being deliberately opposite. I can't see what's not to like about a small club, trying to stay in the premeirship by playing attacking, carefree football

 

[Easy 10]

I don't think anyone, least of all Holloway is suggesting he's a brilliant manager.

He is definetely a very good manager by getting Blackpool into the premeirship and very nearly keeping them up with a tiny budget. He was interesting, I don't remember him whinging too much about refs, players or manager and they played some brilliant attacking football.

The minority who seem to hate Hollaway and Blackpool seem to me like they're being deliberately opposite. I can't see what's not to like about a small club, trying to stay in the premeirship by playing attacking, carefree football

I don't hate Holloway or Blackpool at all. I must admit I find Holloway a bit tiresome, his quirky routines do wear a little thin for me after a while, but what he did at Blackpool in getting them to the Prem was superb - it shows that with a burst of form at just the right time of the season, a mid-table Championship club can dine at the top table for a year. Thats got to be our aim, because if the likes of Blackpool can do it then so can more than half the division next season.

Having got there they played some very entertaining stuff, but at the expense of constantly leaving the back door open. I'd hope if we were ever in that position, we'd go closer to getting the balance right between playing attractive attacking football whilst also being organised at the back. The best exponents I've seen in recent years of doing that (ie promoted from the Playoffs and then more than holding their own in the Prem) was *spit* Reading. But then they had Coppell - and thats a guy who has more than half a clue about how to organise a team.

 

[NMH]

I don't think anyone, least of all Holloway is suggesting he's a brilliant manager.

He is definetely a very good manager by getting Blackpool into the premeirship and very nearly keeping them up with a tiny budget. He was interesting, I don't remember him whinging too much about refs, players or manager and they played some brilliant attacking football.

The minority who seem to hate Hollaway and Blackpool seem to me like they're being deliberately opposite. I can't see what's not to like about a small club, trying to stay in the premeirship by playing attacking, carefree football

Hate Holloway? Who 'hates' him? Nah, he's open to a bit of criticism in that - although he has done really well as you say - he's gone and made some basic naive mistakes that have earned them a ticket straight back down again. Most people have looked for him (and his team) to be sympathetic characters, lovable for the honest football and candid interviews. In a way Warnock was liked when he was there with SU, but things got 'a bit old' with him and repetition bored a lot of people after a while.
Holloway became a self-parody, and has shown some daft decisions that got his side relegated eventually.
People can feel sorry for him to a point if he deserved better, but ffs DEFEND a lead! Don't waste one single league match fielding a weaker team than you can put out, and ge the board to invest a bit of that tv money on strengthening the squad.

Simple really - in 2011 you can't survive in the top league in the game, by promising promoted players they're guaranteed a place if they get you up there.

I'd say the same about Wolves and Mick's resigned shrugs after every loss - but they somehow managed to scrape it - just.

 

[Easy 10]

Hate Holloway? Who 'hates' him? Nah, he's open to a bit of criticism in that - although he has done really well as you say - he's gone and made some basic naive mistakes that have earned them a ticket straight back down again. Most people have looked for him (and his team) to be sympathetic characters, lovable for the honest football and candid interviews. In a way Warnock was liked when he was there with SU, but things got 'a bit old' with him and repetition bored a lot of people after a while.
Holloway became a self-parody, and has shown some daft decisions that got his side relegated eventually.
People can feel sorry for him to a point if he deserved better, but ffs DEFEND a lead! Don't waste one single league match fielding a weaker team than you can put out, and ge the board to invest a bit of that tv money on strengthening the squad.

Simple really - in 2011 you can't survive in the top league in the game, by promising promoted players they're guaranteed a place if they get you up there.

I'd say the same about Wolves and Mick's resigned shrugs after every loss - but they somehow managed to scrape it - just.

Totally agree. Good postage.

 

[Spiros]

I'd say the same about Wolves and Mick's resigned shrugs after every loss - but they somehow managed to scrape it - just.

From what I saw - admittedly not a lot - Wolves just about scraped in with a more cautious and far less entertaining approach than Blackpool took. I'd rather have watched Blackpool's way of doing things. What's the point of dining at the top table if you don't like the food on offer?

 

[Easy 10]

From what I saw - admittedly not a lot - Wolves just about scraped in with a more cautious and far less entertaining approach than Blackpool took. I'd rather have watched Blackpool's way of doing things. What's the point of dining at the top table if you don't like the food on offer?

The food on offer was fine. But if you're at the top table you can't just gorge yourself on the steaks, fancy cakes and trifles - you need a bit of veg, a few greens, some low carbs to balance things. Holloways team went straight for the sweets and puddings all season. Which was great fun of course, but ultimately it cost them.

 

[Brighton Breezy]

You mean, with absolutely no attention to defending leads?

Yeah. Well DONE Blackpool. Enjoy the Championship.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

If Holloway is such an amazing manager and has done such an incredible job, then why couldn't he get his team to defend ? Sure they scored lots of goals, but thats only HALF the job isn't it ? I think the BBC put a stat up showing something like a dozen games where they'd scored 2 goals or more and yet failed to win. Holloway failed to address their defensive deficiencies, and thats why they dropped like a stone from the turn of the year and ended up relegated.

Now Holloway will have £48m in the coffers over the next 4 years (2 x £16m for the first 2 years, 2 x £8m for the following 2 years). Thats a MASSIVE advantage to hold over the rest of this division going into the next 4 seasons (along with Brum and West Ham), so there's really no excuse for Blackpool not to make the top 6 at least next season. Or is Holloway going to declare that to be some kind of fanciful, impossible dream from the outset ?

Think I can guess.

To back up your point, look what happened to West Brom after the much maligned (well by scousers, does that count?) Hodgson got hold of them and sorted out the defense. Comfortable mid table.

ps To be fair the baggies still concede goals, just not as regularly

 

[Easy 10]

To back up your point, look what happened to West Brom after the much maligned (well by scousers, does that count?) Hodgson got hold of them and sorted out the defense. Comfortable mid table.

ps To be fair the baggies still concede goals, just not as regularly

Indeed (although I must admit at the time I thought Di Matteo was VERY unfortunate to get the boot, but getting Woy in turned out to be a top move).

Its hard to be over-critical of Holloway because on the face of it it was miraculous that Blackpool were in the Prem in the first place, you have to give them huge credit for getting there. But he still failed because he couldn't set up his team properly when they didn't have the ball. Building a team from the back doesn't mean you have to play defensively, it just means coaching good habits, getting the shape right, and drilling responsibilty into your players, which is what Holloway failed to do.

I bet Hodgson would have kept Blackpool up.

 

[Mammoth]

I agree Easy 10. Hodgson would have been a better bet at Blackpool for a relegation scrap.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Am I the only person who thinks it is boring and miserable to moan about their defending instead of praising their attack? Their attack nearly kept them in the Premier League, afterall. Obviously you have to defend in football and ultimately, they've gone down because they just weren't good enough at the back. But what did you expect when you're playing players who were barely comfortable in the Championship? For me it's not too harsh to say that Baptiste and Evatt are complete rubbish and Gilks in goal? I saw him on Sky Sports News yesterday saying he wants to stay in the Premier League but as far as I'm concerned, he's one of the chief reasons why they weren't good enough to stay up, even if he didn't play the majority of games (Kingson was no better!). If you go through their entire team you have to say that they don't really have Premier League quality other than Charlie Adam but why do people have to be bitter and sour about that? As far as I'm concerned, they're an example to follow. I would love us to get into the Premier League and then attack, attack, attack. If we went down because of it, ok. But I would rather that than go down without really trying (West Ham). Or by being boring beyond belief (Birmingham).

 

[keaton]

I was going to say can't we just all just be happy that Birmingham have been relegated, but sadly this means will be treated to the two games next season against the most boring team and worst tackling team in the country. I feel sorry for Bridcut and Dicker trying to be composed with the ball while one of their "not that kind of player" players clatter them late, high and with studs

 

[Easy 10]

For me it's not too harsh to say that Baptiste and Evatt are complete rubbish and Gilks in goal? I saw him on Sky Sports News yesterday saying he wants to stay in the Premier League but as far as I'm concerned, he's one of the chief reasons why they weren't good enough to stay up, even if he didn't play the majority of games (Kingson was no better!).

All true. And Holloway did nothing to address this.

As far as I'm concerned, they're an example to follow. I would love us to get into the Premier League and then attack, attack, attack. If we went down because of it, ok. But I would rather that than go down without really trying (West Ham). Or by being boring beyond belief (Birmingham).

Blackpool are an inspiration insofar as they have shown that a mid-table Championship side can get promoted to the Prem if they time their run-in form just right, and can then make a fist of staying up. I'm not so sure they are an example to follow though, because going gung-ho every week will eventually take its toll on results once you get sussed out.

If I was after an example, and I've said it before, I'd like us to be like another West Brom. Yes they are a bit of a yo-yo club, but they do it playing good football, often stay up, and when they do make the drop they havn't bankrupted themselves in the process. They're usually too good for the Championship, and now they're getting a foothold in the Prem. THATS what I want to see my club do.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

West Brom of this season is a better example to follow, but I wouldn't mind going down with a fight if you aren't good enough to stay up any other way. What was Holloway supposed to do? Sign a defender who knows, straight away, that he was going to be playing for the team destined to have the worst record in the league? Tough sell. I'm sure he tried but realisitically I would have thought budget problems coupled with convincing a good defender to go there stopped them being able to sign a good centre back.

Also, Easy, you said a few posts ago that you thought Hodgson would have kept them up. I really don't see the logic behind that. He focuses more on defensive stability, sure, but can you really say that he could have got more out Evatt and Baptiste as a partnership? I think you'd be hard pushed to suggest that he could have improved them defensively, especially considering how woeful his Livepool team was at the back earlier in the season with good, strong, defenders.

 

[Pavilionaire]

The long-term health of Blackpool is contingent upon them getting relegated, slashing the wage bill but banking the parachute payments, then having another go in the near future. Not getting relegated could really have f***ed them up, particularly as Charlie Adam is about to walk.

I some ways I admire Holloway. He realised it was going to be a one-season wonder so made it memorable and had a go. They've gone down knowing they can beat, or at least match, the very top sides for much of the game, so they'll have some belief.

I suspect, however, that they will go the way of Burnley, i.e. slide back into the Championship pack. The likes of Leeds, Birmingham, West Ham and Forest will be there or thereabouts, while Blackpool will be in that second quarter of the table.

 

[NMH]

Am I the only person who thinks it is boring and miserable to moan about their defending instead of praising their attack? Their attack nearly kept them in the Premier League, afterall. Obviously you have to defend in football and ultimately, they've gone down because they just weren't good enough at the back. But what did you expect when you're playing players who were barely comfortable in the Championship? For me it's not too harsh to say that Baptiste and Evatt are complete rubbish and Gilks in goal? I saw him on Sky Sports News yesterday saying he wants to stay in the Premier League but as far as I'm concerned, he's one of the chief reasons why they weren't good enough to stay up, even if he didn't play the majority of games (Kingson was no better!). If you go through their entire team you have to say that they don't really have Premier League quality other than Charlie Adam but why do people have to be bitter and sour about that? As far as I'm concerned, they're an example to follow. I would love us to get into the Premier League and then attack, attack, attack. If we went down because of it, ok. But I would rather that than go down without really trying (West Ham). Or by being boring beyond belief (Birmingham).

If you like - but then why not go all the way and just praise a team that plays 5 forwards 5 midfield and 0 defenders? They might score goals, and be interesting to watch, but........