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Ollie Hits Back In Saints Row

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Cross Ian Holloway at your peril. We all saw and heard his reaction to the suggestions that he could be fined for fielding a weakened team against Aston Villa earlier this season in the Premier League, and now he has hit back at the people who have criticised him for doing the same against Southampton in the FA Cup at the weekend.

With a hectic January schedule, Ollie took the decision to rest the majority of his first team and play fringe and youth players against the Saints, the result being a 2-0 defeat.

Pundits such as Mark Bright and Craig Burley have criticised the decision saying that the Seasiders could gone on to win the competition, but Ollie says (quite rightly) that Premier League survival is his only priority:

‘Craig Burley’s gone off on one. Does he realise we had three games cancelled in December and two of them we have got to play in January, which is the busiest month anyway?

‘My lads are strapped to the front of the coach and having to gallop up a really tough hill.

‘That makes a huge difference to fitness and injury and all sorts of things. I couldn’t risk them or take them.

‘I took that risk and now we are all ready for Liverpool at home.’

Of course the true test of whether Ollie was right will come clear come May, but you can have your say on where the Seasiders will finish this season in our poll on our homepage.

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3 comments

  • New York City Wolf says:

    Mick got a suspended fine last season even though we fielded I think 6 internationals against Manchester in the cup. Manchester, Arsenal and so on have been playing kids for how many years now and they get a pat on the back for it. They can afford to entice the best of the youngest and throw millions at development programs, how many years have they been not just top flight? but top four if not two or three, European powers. How can clubs like ours grow if the kids don;t get a game, or the reserves whichever they may be. I was angry with Mick at the time on the back of winning at Spurs when we were in a dismal state, but we went on to win two crucial games and looking back it was the right decision. Ian got away with it last time (to my understanding) because there was no argument what a run you gave that full strength Villa. I’ve been running a series, Premiership Survival Battle- I chose your seclusion from an interview based on the fact several weeks ago, from sniffs from all that Blackpool were a matter of three wins away from staying up. You went on to beat Stoke and Sunderland and now people are in agreement but if you would like I’ll throw over the interview questions and whilst I am confidently predicting your survival, and a manager of the year award for IH, it would be nice to hear your insight as to what has gone RIGHT at Blackpool and why is has gone wrong for so many others. Just leave a reply on here and I will email you the interview. Cheers, respect and good luck continued. New York City Wolf.

  • AbelBFC says:

    Thanks for your comments NYCW; would be happy to answer your questions. Eamonnmoore88[at]gmail.com is my email address. Cheers.

  • Jesus_02 says:

    Saints had 26 years in the top flight with a capacity comparable to Bloomfield Road (except for the last couple of years)

    I can only remember one occasion when a manager led a mixture of youth and reserve players out for a hiding to nothing.

    The manager was ?A’rry? Redknapp. That season we went down.

    Best of luck to Blackpool for the rest of the season, but Oliie was undoubtedly wrong.

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