Is the end nigh

[GeoFox]

for Ian Holloway?

Milan has been very quiet in public of late, but today I see this on the BBC:

Holloway was in wrong - Mandaric

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will not condone manager Ian Holloway, who insulted a supporter after Saturday's goalless draw with Bristol City.

Mandaric told BBC Radio Leicester: "I am not sure I approve. I don't think it is the right thing to really call any unproper names to your fans.

"We are one family and we should not call names or hurt each other.

"I am giving full support to the manager but I am always, always on the side of the supporters as well."

Mandaric has also called on the fans to stick with the club: "I hope supporters do continue to give us support at this crucial time.

You can listen to live full match commentary of Tuesday's game between Southampton and Leicester City on BBC Radio Leicester on 104.9 FM and DAB Digital Radio.

The issue is really irrelevant. Whilst I didn't see or hear the incident, as I was in a different stand, I am sort of with Holloway.

Apparently, before the end of the Bristol game, some fan hurled a load of abuse at him and stormed out. Which is odd in itself as we played well against Bristol.

Holloway called him a "pillock" in his post-match interview. I sort of feel that if someone is hurling personal abuse, and swearing at you, then you don't have to be quiet and take it, just because of your position. He didn't rise to it in the game, and whilst he may nto have responded with much tact, I find it hard to believe that Sir Alex Ferguson or Jose Mourinho would say nothing in similar situations.

What is more concerning perhaps is Milan's comments on the issue. Why did he have to say anything at all? Especially when the manager can find no support in the comments whatsoever. I can't help but think that Milan is posturing for positions and reasons for Ollie getting the axe.

Afterall, Milan and Allen had a frosty relationship, and look how long that lasted - and we'd just beaten Watford 4-1....

[GresleyRam©®™]

Oh Dear!

[GresleyRam©®™]

Mandaric's finger must be very close to the trigger now GEO?

[GeoFox]

...yes, I wouldn't be surprised if a press conference was being hastily arranged for the morning already.

For the first time since he has been here, I'm uncertain about it now, and maybe he has to go. Well, put it this way, I couldn't care less if he went, his record here is a complete disgrace given the players we have and the money he has spent. And the fact we can't buy a goal only adds insult to injury.

If he has any decency, he has to consider his own position but I don't see a resignation so it is down to the chairman.

He has to make his decision now, which has perhaps been forced by results of surrounding teams as much as our own. He either has to come out in support of him tomorrow morning and try to rally the troops behind him. Make it clear the club has to be united to get safety - cheap tickets to get crowds in, free coaches to away games...anything...just make it clear that everyone has to back the manager and team, and there will be no change. Get Walshy or someone on the training ground to shake em up a bit, he wants to.

OR

He has to sack him. Caretakers in charge for WBA away, our new manager watching from the stand. Then, he should have a full week in training before Hull and Scunny at home which are must win games. Short term contract - stay up and you earn a longer one, simple - what we should have done with Worthington.

Either way, it may just be rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic but there is a big decision to make which has to be made very soon.

I'm very depressed.

[GresleyRam©®™]

geofox said:

...yes, I wouldn't be surprised if a press conference was being hastily arranged for the morning already.

For the first time since he has been here, I'm uncertain about it now, and maybe he has to go. Well, put it this way, I couldn't care less if he went, his record here is a complete disgrace given the players we have and the money he has spent. And the fact we can't buy a goal only adds insult to injury.

If he has any decency, he has to consider his own position but I don't see a resignation so it is down to the chairman.

He has to make his decision now, which has perhaps been forced by results of surrounding teams as much as our own. He either has to come out in support of him tomorrow morning and try to rally the troops behind him. Make it clear the club has to be united to get safety - cheap tickets to get crowds in, free coaches to away games...anything...just make it clear that everyone has to back the manager and team, and there will be no change. Get Walshy or someone on the training ground to shake em up a bit, he wants to.

OR

He has to sack him. Caretakers in charge for WBA away, our new manager watching from the stand. Then, he should have a full week in training before Hull and Scunny at home which are must win games. Short term contract - stay up and you earn a longer one, simple - what we should have done with Worthington.

Either way, it may just be rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic but there is a big decision to make which has to be made very soon.

I'm very depressed.

Eat some cake.

[GeoFox]

gresleyram said:

geofox said:

...yes, I wouldn't be surprised if a press conference was being hastily arranged for the morning already.

For the first time since he has been here, I'm uncertain about it now, and maybe he has to go. Well, put it this way, I couldn't care less if he went, his record here is a complete disgrace given the players we have and the money he has spent. And the fact we can't buy a goal only adds insult to injury.

If he has any decency, he has to consider his own position but I don't see a resignation so it is down to the chairman.

He has to make his decision now, which has perhaps been forced by results of surrounding teams as much as our own. He either has to come out in support of him tomorrow morning and try to rally the troops behind him. Make it clear the club has to be united to get safety - cheap tickets to get crowds in, free coaches to away games...anything...just make it clear that everyone has to back the manager and team, and there will be no change. Get Walshy or someone on the training ground to shake em up a bit, he wants to.

OR

He has to sack him. Caretakers in charge for WBA away, our new manager watching from the stand. Then, he should have a full week in training before Hull and Scunny at home which are must win games. Short term contract - stay up and you earn a longer one, simple - what we should have done with Worthington.

Either way, it may just be rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic but there is a big decision to make which has to be made very soon.

I'm very depressed.

Eat some cake.

doesn't help

[GresleyRam©®™]

geofox said:

gresleyram said:

Eat some cake.

doesn't help

Made me smile! ;D

[PASTIE]

geofox said:

If he has any decency, he has to consider his own position but I don't see a resignation so it is down to the chairman.

Hmm. Not a strong track record there I'm afraid. I feel for you Geo - I really do. Sack him and we're all on your side. Well, a bit. Get shot of Mandaric and you'll win us over in masses

[Pasty Duchy]

I'm not laughing....

Honestly, I'm really not...

[PASTIE]

[greenwillie]

Shame there isn't a separate league for managers so that he could get relegated without taking your club with him.

[PASTIE]

greenwillie said:

Shame there isn't a separate league for managers so that he could get relegated without taking your club with him.

That's about right. I hear there's a vacancy at Chester

[GeoFox]

Of course winning Plymouth fans over in masses isn't our primary objective this season.

Holloway's latest rant on the BBC:

Holloway column

HAD BETTER WEEKS
We've slipped into the relegation zone - we lost to a Southampton team that hadn't won for 10 games and everyone else around us won, so it's not going very well.
When we got beaten 2-0 at Southampton in the Cup a couple of months ago, we never created a chance. Now we are but we're missing them. It's very frustrating.
We missed one in injury time and usually that player would score those over and over again [Fryatt, ha! ].
You can't recreate a pressure situation in training, though, and I believe if the players can relax a little bit more they're going to score. If you're creating chances as a team, things will turn.


SET-TO WITH SUPPORTER
Leicester fan accuses Holloway of swearing at him during 0-0 draw with Bristol City.
We were playing very well - the best we'd played for four years. And that's not me saying that, that was fans telling me after the game.
I made a substitution after 70 minutes, putting two centre-forwards on, and this fella came down the steps, shouting and bawling at me, calling me a stupid...idiot and telling me I was clueless.
Now I'm sorry, but I thought he was the one who was clueless, because he couldn't see how well we were playing.
But for all that, we hadn't scored so I was putting two fresh strikers on to try and change it and I didn't think he was right to abuse me.
Those two players hadn't even got their toes across the line to go on, so how can you criticise that? If he thinks he can call me all the names under the sun, then he doesn't know me.
So I shouted one or two things back to him, which I shouldn't have done. The rest of the crowd agreed with me and told him to shut his mouth.
I then had to explain what happened to the chairman because the bloke wrote a letter to Mr Mandaric instead of dealing with me[ ].
I think it's absolutely ludicrous that people like that think they can shout whatever they like at someone who's just there trying to do the best job he can.
I apologise to the other fans around him if I did let the odd expletive out, but that just shows I've got passion.

TAKING IT ALL HOME
It's very difficult not to take your work home with you and relax when you get indoors - ask any of the players.
While you're living through something like this it's very difficult, but I don't get angry with my family at all and you've just got to try and remain strong.
As for the crowd, have a look what's happening on the pitch. If the lads are bottling it, then get on to them, if they're creating great chances and not finishing, encourage them.
When you're at the top of the league, players are confident and free and don't think about things, when you're down the bottom they can tense up and snatch at shots.
I think the crowd play a massive part and I have to say they have been superb here.

PAYING THE PENALTY
Everton and Tottenham crash out of Uefa Cup after losing penalty shoot-outs.
I don't know why England and the English teams often don't do it when it comes to penalties but you don't know until you're in that situation. I don't think there's anything wrong with us, it's just the way things go.
I'll never forget the Germans beating us on penalties - twice, especially the one in our own back yard. That was quite phenomenal.
I don't know if the Germans work on a bit of psyche, a bit of belief, maybe even hypnotherapy. Who knows?

FOOTBALL OR BABIES?
Rafa Benitez left Xabi Alonso out of squad to play Inter Milan because he wanted to attend the birth of his first child. Alonso offered to join the squad after the birth, but Benitez refused.
I'm with Alonso. You've got to have some leeway. What's more important - surely your wife's health and the birth of your first child? Those moments are priceless.
If Rafa had said 'OK I understand, we'll leave you out of this one, good luck with it all', I think he'd have Xabi Alonso running through brick walls for him. But that's his way. Neither of us are right. We all see it differently.

MPs
MPs can claim up to £23,000 a year from taxpayers' money for their second homes.
That's absolutely disgusting. The same goes for inheritance tax - that's a joke as well.
We get taxed on our taxes, on our taxes - even when we're dead. I mean what sort of country is this?
These allowances for MPs have got to stop. What about when we need a new kitchen - I don't see any of us getting a helping hand.
They should publish this list showing who's had what over the last three years and then they should give back to us.
We should all have a refund and they can buy their own bloody kitchens.


PUNTER'S QUESTION
Sumettodowifoxes: "Do you feel you have built your own squad at Leicester yet, or do you feel you are having to pick players you would rather were no longer at the club?" [good question]

Oh I can't answer that question, that's not fair. I'm doing the best I can with what I've got and we can't hide from the fact it's not going well at the moment. [well dodged]
But it's all about believing and I believe the 24,000 people we get every week deserve better and we will do it for them.

PUNTER'S QUESTION II
Following on from last week's revelation that Leicester City is an anagram of Electric Yetis - Ed.
Por109: "Hi Ian, in fact the Electric Yetis are a thriving charity football team who've now raised about £20,000 for sick and disabled children around Leicestershire. We've got a game coming up on April 19th and are short of a few players if you fancy getting your boots on!"
Ha ha! Well first of all, congratulations. What a brilliant thing to do, to raising money for other people.
They sound a great lot but I don't think I'll be fit enough or good enough to get in your team. Plus the fact, I'll have a few pressing engagements with my day job that weekend...hopefully!

PUNTER'S QUESTION III
Joshimitsu2: "I think its about time you got rid of the lucky guitar pick I gave to you!"

Yes, I binned it last week! I don't want to upset him, but it's the worst thing in terms of lucky charms I've ever been given!
Actually, no I haven't binned it. I know exactly where it is and I'll do that when I get home. I'm going to bin the 'lucky' guitar pick so let's see what happens against West Brom.

Always on the defensive. Maybe if he got on with his job and we started to win a game here or there, and pull clear of the sorry mess we are in, he'll earn the right to be.

As for MP expenses....maybe we should look closer to home. Who pays for the team to stay in nice hotels on far flung away days...like Plymouth? The club...i.e. the fans. Who pays for the nice coach for them to do away trips? The club....i.e. the fans. Its no different really...MPs with constituencies outside London have to live there to do a job in parliament, our players have to do a job at away days...so it is unreasonable to expect them to pay for the travel and accomodation by themselves.

Who paid for Holloway to stay in a hotel when he first joined before he got a house sorted? I'd be fairly sure it would be the club.

Maybe all tickets should be slashed by a half...and all players and managers wages should be slashed in half what with 20 of them performing poorly, and 20 others sitting on their arses doing nothing? Don't think that idea would be too popular with him....

[GresleyRam©®™]

looks like a red card has saved his blushes for a while GEO.

[Natty]

well done to howard for gettin a hat trick i always look out for this team becs i miss howard.

[PASTIE]

Today's result was pure karma for Hollowords lending us a keeper for the day. One game only, and it'll never last

[ArgyleChick]

Yes thanks for Rab Ollie - he was a star!

[GeoFox]

Very very pleased with this. A hugely important result, which I didn't expect at all.

I missed listening to most of the game, and all of the second half because I was on a train to London so had to get by with text updates on the score.

I haven't seen or heard the decisions, so have no idea if the red card and penalties were right decisions. But to be honest I don't care, we need the points and we got them...and did a very professional and impressive job on Albion. We have to build on this into our next 2 home games now.

So I'm just content with being thoroughly happy about it all, esp given the Cov-Weds score. I was surprised Howard got a hat-trick tbh Natty, he hasn't been too great in recent games. Has a realistic chance of finishing top scorer now and he's only been here a couple of months.