Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has slammed claims he walked out on the club earlier in the week and has also confirmed he has an “absolutely fantastic” relationship with chairman Karl Oyston (Blackpool 8/1 – Premier League 2010/11 Bad Boys).
The Seasiders have been a steady source of rumour and counter-rumour since winning promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs at the end of last season.
Holloway’s contract status and the players’ promotion bonuses have hit the headlines – and now the former QPR, Plymouth and Leicester boss has been forced to come out and deny claims of a rift leading to his departure.
The 47-year-old was away from the club at the start of the week but he has wasted no time in shooting down talk of a dramatic Martin O’Neill-style departure on the eve of the Seasiders’ Premier League bow.
He told reporters: “Before anyone asks a question, I just want to make sure you can see me – you can see me here and I’m not a cardboard cut-out, because somehow or other, I’m not supposed to be here.
“It’s just a crazy world that we have moved into. Apparently yesterday I’d walked out and resigned. I had to be in London the day before and didn’t want to drive back at six o’clock in the morning to get here because I was too tired.
“I had to be at a Premier League meeting, and what that has caused – by not coming back up for training. We only had eight players, some were on international duty and I wasn’t going to train them that hard anyway.
“Look at how things go crazy. But welcome, and by the way, we’ve just signed some new players as well. I just want to get that straight.”
The players Holloway have snapped up are Manchester United defender Craig Cathcart, Ludovic Sylvestre from Czech side Mlada Boleslav, Malaury Martin from Monaco and Elliot Grandin from Bulgarian outfit CSKA Sofia.
Blackpool kick off their Premier League season at Wigan on Saturday although they are widely expected to last no longer than one season with the big boys (Wigan v Blackpool 15/2 – Opening Day Game With Most Goals).
The Seasiders are odds on (11/10) to finish bottom of the table.
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