Source: Daily_Mail
Charlie Adam was illegally targeted on deadline day, says Ian Holloway
Making his point: Holloway hit out at Adam's pursuers Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has alleged that Charlie Adam was the target for an illegal approach in the build-up to Tottenham's last-ditch bid to sign the midfielder on transfer deadline day. Holloway claims that a representative of the Omni football agency, who was at Bloomfield Road to tie up James Beattie's loan move from Rangers, become involved in negotiations over Adam. But Blackpool have adopted a hard-line stance with agents, and Holloway quickly stepped in to block the talks. 'Charlie was hanging around the ground and so was the agent doing James Beattie,' said Holloway yesterday. 'He must have got Charlie's number, tried to do the deal with Tottenham and tell him how much he'd be earning. 'Charlie came in and I asked him what he was on about. His phone rang and it was this agent who was completely scuppered. 'I took the phone off Charlie and said: "Hello, who are you? Illegal approach to my player, get stuffed. You're not his agent, you don't work for Tottenham, what on earth are you talking about?" In demand: a host of clubs wanted to sign Adam (right) in the transfer window 'The whole thing is sharks swimming around trying to bite pieces off my players.' Spurs attempted to sign Adam just 20 minutes before the window closed at 11pm on Monday but it was too late. Omni agent Mike Morris, denied any wrongdoing last night. He said: 'My colleague James Featherstone was with the Blackpool chairman and was trying on his behalf to help get a deal done with Spurs for Charlie Adam.Staying for now: Adam will be at Blackpool until at least the end of the season 'There was no wrongdoing. As far as I am aware, Ian hasn't accused James or I of anything improper and until he does, we don't have a problem.' Holloway also issued a warning to Adam's agent Kenny Moyes after he accused Blackpool of 'seriously mucking about' his client over a proposed move to Liverpool. Holloway, who faces Moyes' brother David when Blackpool play at Everton tomorrow (sat), said: 'I think Charlie's agent should be very careful. He thinks he is doing what is right for his client but we are on a different page. 'If he wants to get nasty, fair enough. I don't like the way everything is done through the Press. 'My chairman fell out with him and when I was called a liar in the media I did not take kindly to that. 'I've got no doubts Charlie will get what he wants. But his agent can bellyache all he likes, at the moment it isn't his choice. 'Nobody is bigger than the club. There have been some horrible things said and that will upset my chairman, and you don't ever want to upset him. He might just say, "I don't like your behaviour so you can sit in my reserves and rot". 'Maybe my player had something to do with it. Maybe you should ask him. Maybe he was not paid his bonus and that has carried on. I don't bloody know and I don't bloody care. There are a lot more people I care about at this club other than Charlie Adam.' However, Holloway praised Adam's professionalism amid all the transfer speculation, and criticised Liverpool for making his captain feel second-best as they brought in Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez for a combined figure of ?58m while reluctantly raising their offer for Adam to ?6.6m. He added: 'Liverpool were more interested in the other two than they were in Charlie. 'He shouldn't be third choice. Liverpool put their energy into Suarez and Carroll and did nothing for Charlie. Is that my fault? No. 'When Charlie bowls in somewhere I want him to be the hottest thing on the planet and the man they really want more than anyone. He deserves that. 'I'd just like to say that the first few offers we got they more than doubled so how dare they just offer that and not come back with anything more and then talk about it on the telly. It's just not right. 'It's only a matter of time before the rest of the world sees what I've got on my hands here. I believe he could walk into the team at Spurs, Man United or Liverpool once they see how good he is. 'I'm confident he's going to get even better and that some of the best teams in the world will want to sign Charlie Adam. 'And if they can't afford to do it in the summer he'll have to wait and walk out on a free transfer.' Holloway questions why Adam was only Liverpool's third choice signingBlackpool 1 West Ham 3: Keane strikes to help Victor claim spoilsBlackpool club captain Jason Euell to leave Bloomfield Road after squad exclusionBlackpool FC news from across the web Explore more:People: James Beattie, Ian Holloway, Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam Places: Liverpool