The Leicester manager gives his inimitable views on football and life in general in his weekly column. This week Ollie talks about his first two games in charge of the Foxes, including the memorable debut at Bristol City where he had a fight with a robin! He also gives his thoughts on working with Milan Mandaric and Paul Sturrock taking over Plymouth. GOOD START TO LEICESTER JOB I was a bit disappointed we didn't get six points out of six to be fair. But never mind, beggars can't be choosers. My first game at the Walker's Stadium was marvellous - 28,000 people there, it was a bit scary really.
BRISTOL CITY AWAY I went out first of all and got a few boos. Then I came out the second time just as the game was going to kick off and they've got their mascot on the pitch dressed as a robin. The song used to go: "When the red red robin goes bob bob bobbing along - shoot the person without a father, shoot the person without a father". So anyway, they booed the hell out of me and I turned and faced them and I bowed. And I looked up and there on my right-hand side was the robin, so I beckoned him over and adopted a boxing stance. I caught him on the beak, hit him in the belly and then he slapped me with his wing and before you know it I was giving him a hug and clapping their fans.
BRISTOL CITY AWAY I went out first of all and got a few boos. Then I came out the second time just as the game was going to kick off and they've got their mascot on the pitch dressed as a robin. The song used to go: "When the red red robin goes bob bob bobbing along - shoot the person without a father, shoot the person without a father". So anyway, they booed the hell out of me and I turned and faced them and I bowed. And I looked up and there on my right-hand side was the robin, so I beckoned him over and adopted a boxing stance. I caught him on the beak, hit him in the belly and then he slapped me with his wing and before you know it I was giving him a hug and clapping their fans.
To be fair, and I didn't expect it, nearly all of them started clapping me, which was magnificent. And then we beat them 2-0, which was marvellous! They were singing their songs to me as well - "Holloway, Holloway, Holly Hollo-way, he gets the ball and does ___ all, Holly Holloway". And there's another one that's even worse: "Cheer up Holloway, oh what does it mean to be a sad Gashead person-without-a-father with a s*** football team!" And just before the end, everything went back to normal when they were giving it "Eff off Holloway!" So I did - and effed off back up to Leicester!
PAUL STURROCK NEW PLYMOUTH BOSS Good luck to him, fantastic. I'm glad they've got it sorted. There's not many people who walk in to a job when the team's fourth in the table. I'm delighted for him and I'm delighted for them. I didn't want to leave, but there were 28,000 in the ground the other day at Leicester, that was 17,000 more than I had for my last game at Plymouth. Surely people will eventually see that I can't be blamed for wanting that.
PAUL STURROCK NEW PLYMOUTH BOSS Good luck to him, fantastic. I'm glad they've got it sorted. There's not many people who walk in to a job when the team's fourth in the table. I'm delighted for him and I'm delighted for them. I didn't want to leave, but there were 28,000 in the ground the other day at Leicester, that was 17,000 more than I had for my last game at Plymouth. Surely people will eventually see that I can't be blamed for wanting that.
I hope they'll realise that I was very proud of what I did, I meant every word of it and I've left them in a much better position than they were when I first took over. And that's all you can do as a manager. I'm a great admirer of Paul Sturrock and I heard what he said on the radio and he talks a lot of sense. I think he's going to help them and I'm proud to have left him that team.
ROBBIE SAVAGE WANTS TO BE BOOED MORE He likes that. It seems to wind him up, old Sav. He's a bit of a Leicester hero as well. Thanks for playing so well for Leicester me old son!
ROBBIE SAVAGE WANTS TO BE BOOED MORE He likes that. It seems to wind him up, old Sav. He's a bit of a Leicester hero as well. Thanks for playing so well for Leicester me old son!
It's funny what motivates you. I'm a bit like that myself. I don't really like being patted on the back, I think you find out more about yourself when you're up against it and that's Sav all over. That's what he likes, that's what he's all about. Brilliant.
PUNTER'S QUESTION Jonaha132Welcome to the Foxes, Ollie. We met about six weeks ago the night of the Rugby World Cup final at the Hotel Astor in Plymouth. I asked you for a pic after the game and my parting words to you were "you should be at leicester!" I think I'll do the Lottery more often from now on! Ha ha! That's very kind of him. I'm very flattered that what I was doing at Plymouth got noticed. So well done to the lads down there and everybody at Home Park, but now I'm here and I can't wait to get properly started and build a team.
PUNTER'S QUESTION II Bluebeau2208: "Hi Ollie! A very warm welcome to Leicester City FC and sincere commiserations to the Plymouth Argyle supporters. With the reputation that Milan Mandaric has gained regarding the speed with which he gets through club managers, do you think you will have a long-term career at Leicester?" The secret to any relationship is starting off on the right foot. I went there with the intention of telling him what I really felt, not telling him what I thought he'd want to hear. I wanted to tell him what I would to do, what he's got wrong and what I would do to put it right. I understand Milan's biggest concern was that he wanted someone with experience of getting to the Premier League - and that's the only thing that wasn't reading right on my CV. I pointed out that if I hadn't have had some of my players sold away in the past I could easily have built a team that might well be there now.
PUNTER'S QUESTION Jonaha132Welcome to the Foxes, Ollie. We met about six weeks ago the night of the Rugby World Cup final at the Hotel Astor in Plymouth. I asked you for a pic after the game and my parting words to you were "you should be at leicester!" I think I'll do the Lottery more often from now on! Ha ha! That's very kind of him. I'm very flattered that what I was doing at Plymouth got noticed. So well done to the lads down there and everybody at Home Park, but now I'm here and I can't wait to get properly started and build a team.
PUNTER'S QUESTION II Bluebeau2208: "Hi Ollie! A very warm welcome to Leicester City FC and sincere commiserations to the Plymouth Argyle supporters. With the reputation that Milan Mandaric has gained regarding the speed with which he gets through club managers, do you think you will have a long-term career at Leicester?" The secret to any relationship is starting off on the right foot. I went there with the intention of telling him what I really felt, not telling him what I thought he'd want to hear. I wanted to tell him what I would to do, what he's got wrong and what I would do to put it right. I understand Milan's biggest concern was that he wanted someone with experience of getting to the Premier League - and that's the only thing that wasn't reading right on my CV. I pointed out that if I hadn't have had some of my players sold away in the past I could easily have built a team that might well be there now.
I think you'll find there's all sorts of people you have a perception of through the media, yet when you meet them yourself, they're totally different. I'm staying at the same hotel where Milan stayed when he first bought the club and I was speaking to the staff there who said he treated them all really special. He's a gentleman who really wants success and sometimes it burns so bright he gets a bit nervous, so now I want to take all the responsibility off him and make the decisions and help him choose the right people to take this club forward.
PUNTER'S QUESTION III PAFAWeluvu: "Hi Ollie, I actually thought you were a very genuine guy, as you came down to the Jennycliff Cafe often and I got to know you a bit. Why did you say that you would honour your contract unless the chairman said otherwise but then resign and go to someone lower than Argyle in the table? P.S. You did great for Argyle. That's a very good question. The fact is the chairman rang me up. He mentioned to me that Leicester had asked after me and I wouldn't have been an honourable guy if I'd said, no, I want to stay here. I thought the Plymouth people deserved someone who had the commitment that I had until that question was asked. That's the truth. The chairman at Plymouth knew my concerns about us moving forward. I won't say any more than that because I believe now they've got the man the chairman will listen to. He's a good friend of his, and to be honest I'm a little bit different to Paul Sturrock. I'm a little bit in your face and a bit forthright and get a bit angry sometimes, whereas Paul is totally calm.
PUNTER'S QUESTION III PAFAWeluvu: "Hi Ollie, I actually thought you were a very genuine guy, as you came down to the Jennycliff Cafe often and I got to know you a bit. Why did you say that you would honour your contract unless the chairman said otherwise but then resign and go to someone lower than Argyle in the table? P.S. You did great for Argyle. That's a very good question. The fact is the chairman rang me up. He mentioned to me that Leicester had asked after me and I wouldn't have been an honourable guy if I'd said, no, I want to stay here. I thought the Plymouth people deserved someone who had the commitment that I had until that question was asked. That's the truth. The chairman at Plymouth knew my concerns about us moving forward. I won't say any more than that because I believe now they've got the man the chairman will listen to. He's a good friend of his, and to be honest I'm a little bit different to Paul Sturrock. I'm a little bit in your face and a bit forthright and get a bit angry sometimes, whereas Paul is totally calm.
And maybe some of the things I suggested, he will be able to get them to do. Football's a very fickle game, you try and look after your family and do the best job you can, but I don't think there's anyone on this planet who could actually say I didn't give Plymouth my all - and everything I said was true at that specific time. What I didn't say was that I would stay as long as my ambition matched those at the club. I wanted everything yesterday - I'm a very impatient little pig. What I didn't want to do was have to lose some of my players to rebuild again and with the greatest respect, the Leicester job is something I've worked all my life for. Am I wrong or did Paul Sturrock leave the club as well a few years back? The fans have welcomed him back with open arms now and yet some of them were calling him 'Judas' at the time. I will be back to visit Plymouth. I will be on the Barbican and I will be down on The Hoe because I bloody well love it there. End of story.
Ian Holloway was talking to Chris Charles.
Ian Holloway was talking to Chris Charles.
Source: BBC Sport
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