Source: Daily_Mail
Blackpool boss Ian Holloway can feel the fear
ShareIan Holloway excelled himself when itcame to his cultural references. One minute he was singing along to an old Fairground Attraction hit. 'We've got to be . . . perfect,' he warbled in reference to Sunday's defining visit to Manchester United.[LNB]Next the Blackpool manager dumbed things down with a Homer Simpson impression. 'D'oh!' he exclaimed as he poured a little light-hearted scorn on some clubs' failure to keep on top of players' contracts.[LNB] Ups and downs: six months agoHolloway was flying high, but Blackpool have since slumped[LNB]Later on there was reference to the big screen, too. By then, though, it was getting a bit much.For behind the joking, the grimacing and the complaining, was a manager facing up to the biggest challenge of his career. That, after all, is a very serious business.[LNB]'I feel the fear,' he said. 'If this goes wrong it affects the whole town.'[LNB]From more than half an hour of entertaining rhetoric, that was probably Holloway's most pertinent comment. Certainly it was the most chilling.[LNB]He may be great value as a raconteur but Holloway couldn't have spelled out his dread of relegation from the Barclays Premier League this weekend any clearer if he had arrived yesterday with it tattooed across his forehead.[LNB]After 37 games of an enthralling Premier League season, Blackpool have 39 points. In all likelihood, though, they will need three more to stay up and they must go to the home of the new champions to get them.[LNB]'This game is probably bigger than the one we had last year in the play-off final,' said Holloway.[LNB] So close: Blackpool led Manchester United 2-0 in January before the Red Devils stormed back to win 3-2[LNB]'This time, instead of beating Cardiff,we have got to beat Manchester United and even that may not be enough. It promises to be a crazy day, quite surreal.[LNB]'The disappointment if we go down would be massive and we would feel even worse because we've tasted it.[LNB]'We don't want to lose that. It's too hard to put into words for any of us, too emotional.[LNB]'Just think what it might mean if we are celebrating at Manchester United. It would be more than just a dream come true.'[LNB]Those who deal with Holloway regularly will tell of his many faces. Yesterday those of us gathered in the small press room beneath the standat Bloomfield Road saw most of them.[LNB]What shone through most, though, was some irritation.[LNB]Irritation, certainly, at the suggestion that United may be fined if SirAlex Ferguson opts to field a less than full-strength team a week ahead of the Champions League final against Barcelona. He even suggested that the Premier League would like to see Blackpool relegated.[LNB] Special reserves: Holloway was impressed as a much-changed United side hammered Schalke 4-0[LNB]Irritation, too, that many of his own squad's contracts expired this week, meaning that two players including goalkeeper Richard Kingson will face United having already been told they will not be at the club next season. [LNB]'It's pretty annoying to think United might be fined if they make a load of changes and we beat them,' he said.[LNB]'We could have beaten their full team down here, because we were 2-0 up and got refused a blatant penalty and lost 3-2.[LNB]'But now people are saying we cannot beat them, and I just can't see that. It is massively disrespectful to us. I take that as a personal insult.[LNB]'(The Premier League) will be relieved if we lose and get relegated. Then I won't be badgering them.[LNB]'But this could be the best day this club have ever had and it will need to be. Already this week I have had to tell seven of my players that we will be releasing them. All the contract options have had to be taken up as if we were still in the Championship.[LNB]'The rules state they have to be told by the third Thursday in May, and normally our season would be over by now.[LNB]'We've contacted the League and tried to get it pushed back a week. But we were told there's no leeway on that, which is just great. [LNB] Decision time: Sir Alex Ferguson must pick a side to face Blackpool with the Champions League final in mind[LNB]'So among all this wonderful euphoria we had from beating Bolton last weekend we have had to tell certain players they no longer have a contract.' [LNB]One wonders how much of yesterday's anti-establishment 'anger' was real and how much presented in the knowledge his players would see it later on the TV. Perceived injustice can, after all, be a supreme motivational tool. [LNB]What is for sure is that his team will go to Old Trafford to attack and hope that, if all else fails, Wigan lose at Stoke and Birmingham lose atTottenham by a sufficient margin to drop beneath them into 18th place.[LNB]'My contingency plan is exactly the same as it has been for the last twoyears in that we're going to try and outscore this lot in front of us,'he said.[LNB]'We are no good at shutting up shop. Our shop never closes. It could be one of those late-night openings which costs us our position because we've conceded a few late goals, haven't we?[LNB]'But none of this makes me sad, it makes me proud. It's all about pride and someone in the gym said it to me last night. He said, 'Fantastic, thanks for entertaining us'. [LNB]'It takes something to speak to someone on the treadmill beside you when you're running and can hardly breathe.[LNB]'At first I didn't get it, but then I did. I thought, 'That's great'.' [LNB] Holloway hits out at Premier League as Blackpool boss blasts: They want us relegatedSurvival Sunday: How do the five top flight clubs in danger shape up? Blackpool will fight to keep hold of Vaughan, Crainey and Gilks, promises chairman Oyston [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Ian Holloway Places: Birmingham, Cardiff, Barcelona
