Ollie’s back and I can’t wait

One must probably get used to such madcap celebrations from Palace manager Ian Holloway. (Getty Images)

When Blackpool got promoted in 2010, I did not know I was in for a treat. The fact that they beat Liverpool twice was meant to have really hurt, but when I stood a detached platform, me the ever long supporter of David (of the Goliath tale) could not but grunt a cheer for the seaside club.

The main reason of my gleeful grunt was Mr. Ian Holloway. Ollie’s lines seem to come straight out of a well thought Guy Ritchie script. Add maybe, a bit of Quentin Tarentino for good measure. If you don’t believe me read this:

“To put it in gentleman’s terms, if you’ve been out for a night and you’re looking for a young lady and you pull one, some weeks they’re good looking and some weeks they’re not the best. Our performance today would have been not the best looking bird but at least we got her in the taxi. She wasn’t the best looking lady we ended up taking her home but she was very pleasant and very nice, so thanks very much, let’s have a coffee.”

This is what he had to say about Blackpool’s ugly win against Chesterfield back in 2009.

Or this, “In the first-half we were like the Dog and Duck, in the second-half we were like Real Madrid. We can’t go on like that. At full-time, I was at them like an irritated Jack Russell.”

You must get what I mean now.

Holloway, who hails from Bristol, that culture melt of a city, (I seem to idolise Bristolites, see Banksy and Massive Attack), has the accent and the cocky humour that seems to be a default of inhabitants of a nautical city. His honest interviews violating PR manuals have earned him a lot of fan hood. But then again, even though not dime a dozen, you find men like that around.

The real reason I liked the man though, was because, there was finally a small team manager that did not think small team when his boys played the big stage. His games, full of flow and attack, were never a dull sight for the neutrals, all the way to the last game of that season where they went down. I always thought what if he had a few players that could well defend. The season would have not ended and I would have been treated to a few more chuckles.

Ian left Blackpool, and now have managed get Crystal Palace to the big stage. And I for one am really glad. This means come next season, I will be waiting impatiently for the pre and post match interviews, because if what I’ve seen is ample proof enough, post match days will get record viewership. Can you just imagine a Jose Mourinho – Ollie verbal match? Ah lovely, prime time television can never get better. Sorry, American Idol, this is so much more fun. If you don’t believe me check the links below:

The Comic Wisdom of Ian Holloway.

Few more of Ollie’s quotes.