Sean the Blade
Member
Now generally my threads/posts are somewhat flippant and generally written to raise a smile, or at the least an eyebrow. But, after watching the play-off final I really wanted to coalesce my thoughts on Blackwell’s management style.
We know he divides opinion, and often makes it very difficult for us as fans to get behind the team. We also know that he can get results, sometimes in the face of very difficult circumstances.
However, when I watched Blackpool on Saturday I realised something, Ian Holloway must have the easiest job in football, and, he makes the job easy for himself. Not a statement you would expect to describe a club running on a shoestring with an average attendance of 8k. I’ll explain.
Holloway has simply brought in players who are not superstars, even by championship standards, but who are enthusiastic and capable, and all he has said to them (or appears to) is “Just go out and play football lads”. Then all they do is go out and enjoy playing football, they aren’t scared to show off a bit of skill, they aren’t scared if it goes wrong, they aren’t scared to make a mistake, the centre half isn’t scared to go on a mazy run or turn on the edge of his own box, and the forwards aren’t scared to take a chance.
The commentator on Saturday made the point that they have a philosophy of we’ll score more goals than you, not unlike the Newcastle side under Keegan, and this produces very entertaining AND EFFECTIVE stuff. Now, the gap in talent and skill is massive, but isn’t this the very same philosophy that teams like Brazil employ?
Blackwell has players, when fit, at his disposal who can reproduce this sort of football; especially at this level… we’ve seen it on occasion. Nonetheless he insists on playing this regimented, one dimensional siege game which is nothing more than frustration in a can! I agree, there has to be some sort of game plan, but we have some players with above average talent. So please Kev, let them show it, let our players play with a bit of flair and freedom, you never know, it might even make them want to stay!
We know he divides opinion, and often makes it very difficult for us as fans to get behind the team. We also know that he can get results, sometimes in the face of very difficult circumstances.
However, when I watched Blackpool on Saturday I realised something, Ian Holloway must have the easiest job in football, and, he makes the job easy for himself. Not a statement you would expect to describe a club running on a shoestring with an average attendance of 8k. I’ll explain.
Holloway has simply brought in players who are not superstars, even by championship standards, but who are enthusiastic and capable, and all he has said to them (or appears to) is “Just go out and play football lads”. Then all they do is go out and enjoy playing football, they aren’t scared to show off a bit of skill, they aren’t scared if it goes wrong, they aren’t scared to make a mistake, the centre half isn’t scared to go on a mazy run or turn on the edge of his own box, and the forwards aren’t scared to take a chance.
The commentator on Saturday made the point that they have a philosophy of we’ll score more goals than you, not unlike the Newcastle side under Keegan, and this produces very entertaining AND EFFECTIVE stuff. Now, the gap in talent and skill is massive, but isn’t this the very same philosophy that teams like Brazil employ?
Blackwell has players, when fit, at his disposal who can reproduce this sort of football; especially at this level… we’ve seen it on occasion. Nonetheless he insists on playing this regimented, one dimensional siege game which is nothing more than frustration in a can! I agree, there has to be some sort of game plan, but we have some players with above average talent. So please Kev, let them show it, let our players play with a bit of flair and freedom, you never know, it might even make them want to stay!
