9am - Ian Holloway on Radio Lancashire

When clubs were sniffing around Ollie Karl said he would personally drive him there. Ollie had asked for a 3 year contract to feel secure and move here permanently. He felt after taking us to the Prem and 2 championship play off finals he had done enough to warrant it.
He wasn't backed for the striker he wanted in that last transfer window but depending on folks agenda all that is forgotten.
 
He did the best any manager has done in my lifetime, fantastic attacking football, taking League One players all the way to the Prem, and giving us all two trips to Wembley and a fantastic 3 years.
He tarnished his status with us by not speaking out against the O's and siding with them rather than the supporters, even though he was shafted too in the end.
He left as any manager treated like that would do, with his stock high and wanting to be backed. I certainly wouldn't boo him if he returned for a game at Bloomfield Road, and he'd get a decent round of applause.
 
He gave us attacking football to a mystical dimension. Even now, it still seems like an unreal dream what we witnessed during those 3 seasons under him.

Never before and never since has a team just gone all out attack like that with centre halves belting down the left wing etc. It was amazing to watch - kamikaze but incredible entertainment and something I will be forever thankful for to have been able to witness.
 
BigHandsOliverKahn said:
He gave us attacking football to a mystical dimension. Even now, it still seems like an unreal dream what we witnessed during those 3 seasons under him.

Never before and never since has a team just gone all out attack like that with centre halves belting down the left wing etc. It was amazing to watch - kamikaze but incredible entertainment and something I will be forever thankful for to have been able to witness.
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The really odd thing is that it completely juxtaposed the shit show that was developing off the field.
 
Suddick's Ghost said:
Just reiterated that Koko was probably the best chairman he ever worked for.
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Didn't listen but if he did it just highlights his lack of appreciation for the impact the filth had on the fanbase. There's ways of saying thing, e.g. personally I found the relationship worked for me at the time however I am aware that things changed after I left.
 
AngelBFC said:
I just dont get the love he has for Karl Oyston. Its bizarre. He was an absolutely awful Chairman who should have been nowhere near a Community Asset like BFC.
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Yep love him for what he did, the memories.

But its bizarre he carries on with this praise for the horrendous stains, who got found out for an illegitimate stripping of BFC. The ground was falling to bits, loads of issues, pitch a joke, money spent minimal.

How he can support them makes me seriously question his judgement.
 
Think he has Stockholm syndrome from working under the Oystons.

Let's be absolutely clear, the Oystons were terrible owners from the fans perspective and terrible employers. There's countless managers who will vouch for that. Ollie is the outlier here.

It's possible VB mitigated the Oystons whilst Ollie was working for them, but they were still awful.
 
Let's face it, Ollie had the Oystons to deal with, that's enough for anyone.
Whatever you feel/think about him we had some great moments in his Managership.
OK, he is a bit strange, but who isn't in that job? BFC Manager I mean.
He was always entertaining in he post match interviews.
Have a great retirement Ollie.
 
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I think Ollie just appreciated the straightforward nature of his relationship with Karl Oyston and I can understand that.

Karl was a dick, who ultimately drowned in his own hubris, but he was also a maverick and an innovator who drove sone positive changes in football. To a large extent, it was arguably the rest of football and the associated madness that was at fault, as opposed to a chairman who tried to run a club within sustainable parameters.

Unfortunately, much of Karl’s ‘modernisation’ was seemingly driven more by self interest and bloody mindedness as opposed to a genuine desire to do the best for the club and ultimately we were as much of a casualty as a beneficiary of his approach.

Ollie and him found a way to work together.. I think to sone extent, they got the best out of each other (in a weird kind of way).

I don’t see any need for Ollie to say what we want him to say just for the sake of it… He has his version of events and that’s fine👍
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think Ollie just appreciated the straightforward nature of his relationship with Karl Oyston and I can understand that.
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If this was the case, particularly at the end, why did he feel compelled to find a new job?

Why did Ollie feel the need to go around Karl and speak to VB early on?

He didn't seem to appreciate the way Karl handled the Barry Ferguson signing saga either.
 
Dougz said:
Doesn’t get the same grief as Critch but left us in exactly the same manner, in fact worse in some ways as he left on the morning of a match - despicable. Hero turned villain for me.
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He gets plenty of grief in any thread related to him.

For me its not how he left, you can excuse him as he'd clearly had enough of battling Oyston over every tiny thing and he could probably see the way the club was going with the little investment getting even smaller. What he achieved is unbelievable whilst under pretty woeful circumstances, Critchley achieved a lot less under the best circumstances this club has had for a long time and still fucked off at the first call.

My gripe with him is the defending of Oyston after the fact, an absolutely bizarre stance to take when he experienced first hand what Karl was like. Overall I cant say I feel too angry about it (especially now the Oystons are gone), what he achieved outweighs his transgressions but it is just frustrating he sullies what could be legend status with stupid comments.
 
Tango1953 said:
If this was the case, particularly at the end, why did he feel compelled to find a new job?

Why did Ollie feel the need to go around Karl and speak to VB early on?

He didn't seem to appreciate the way Karl handled the Barry Ferguson signing saga either.
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I’m not saying he would have agreed with every decision or that Ollie didn’t seek to do what he could to improve his squad. I doubt any manager will agree with every decision… I just think that they understood each other and there was a mutual respect between them.

It’s difficult to know exactly why he decided to move on… there’s all sorts of theories on that. I’m not really sure it matters that much anymore really.

It was a moment in time…. We achieved something that many Clubs could only dream of… It should have transformed the Club forever and in a roundabout way it probably did…

Holloway was great value when he was with us… I’m not interested in his book or much about what he has to say these days…We have new owners and we’re heading off on a completely new chapter in our history… 👍
 
Junior_BentsPlatformShoes said:
He did the best any manager has done in my lifetime, fantastic attacking football, taking League One players all the way to the Prem, and giving us all two trips to Wembley and a fantastic 3 years.
He tarnished his status with us by not speaking out against the O's and siding with them rather than the supporters, even though he was shafted too in the end.
He left as any manager treated like that would do, with his stock high and wanting to be backed. I certainly wouldn't boo him if he returned for a game at Bloomfield Road, and he'd get a decent round of applause.
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He got roundly booed the first time he visited with Palace afterwards, a Matt Phillips winner for us if I remember correctly.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
I think Ollie just appreciated the straightforward nature of his relationship with Karl Oyston and I can understand that.

Karl was a dick, who ultimately drowned in his own hubris, but he was also a maverick and an innovator who drove sone positive changes in football. To a large extent, it was arguably the rest of football and the associated madness that was at fault, as opposed to a chairman who tried to run a club within sustainable parameters.

Unfortunately, much of Karl’s ‘modernisation’ was seemingly driven more by self interest and bloody mindedness as opposed to a genuine desire to do the best for the club and ultimately we were as much of a casualty as a beneficiary of his approach.

Ollie and him found a way to work together.. I think to sone extent, they got the best out of each other (in a weird kind of way).

I don’t see any need for Ollie to say what we want him to say just for the sake of it… He has his version of events and that’s fine👍
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Superbly put.
 
Holloway and KO are two very odd fish indeed who found something in one another. He has blown his legacy with many of us by his attitude to the boycott alone, let aline some of the other stuff. A cringeworthy character now in his pundit guise.
 
The way the fans’ relationship with Ollie has soured is a real shame.

He was a genius for giving an underrated but talented group of players the belief and tactical structure to achieve Premiership status and then compete at the top level.

Unlike other promoted teams, who barely throw a punch when they arrive in the top flight, he sent the team out to go toe to toe with financial giants and compete with ability not just passion. By going forward, not sitting back. Most players in those teams played the best football in their careers under Ollie.

But the sheer stubbornness he had to show during those years is now a hindrance to him, even as he promotes this book.

How many books does he think he would sell on the Fylde Coast if he just showed a modicum of understanding towards the fans? Instead he sticks to his guns and just needlessly pisses fans off - and damages his chances of selling copies of his book…I certainly wouldn’t go near it now
 
Dougz said:
Doesn’t get the same grief as Critch but left us in exactly the same manner, in fact worse in some ways as he left on the morning of a match - despicable. Hero turned villain for me.
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Rubbish.

He left because he couldn't work with the tossers in charge which was borne out with his several replacements.....
 
Holloway is an attention seeker.

Stating Karl Oyston is great etc etc gets headlines and is controversial due to Oystons reputation. That what he wants. The media lap up his nonsense and always have done. Tbf some of it is funny.

This is the man who said Simon Grayson's sacking by us was a disgrace despite the fact that Grayson was useless

www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

Holloway brands Blackpool 'absolute disgrace' after Grayson sacking

The Grimsby Town manager has blasted his former club's decision to sack Grayson after just seven months in charge
www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

You just cant take the man seriously. He's a comedian

However I wouldnt boo him . He was magnificent during his time with us.
 
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AngelBFC said:
I just dont get the love he has for Karl Oyston. Its bizarre. He was an absolutely awful Chairman who should have been nowhere near a Community Asset like BFC.
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I think I read/heard that Ollie said he was the best chairman because he knew where he stood with him - no false promises, if the answer was a no, then he said no,and I can see that. In the end too many no's and IH had as much as he could.

I won't hear a bad word against Ollie, and absolute legend in moulding a team of 6, 7 and 8ers out of 10 into a team of 10/10.

If I was interviewing him my first question would be, who was behind the signings of Reid and Beattie, and why?
 
The Ollie years gave me the best times during my 60-odd years watching/supporting the 'Pool and for that reason I can accept his idiosyncracies.

I'm certain that all my 'kids' and their mates will agree with me on this, which doesn't always happen, and our memories of those times will last forever.

And I would gladly buy Ollie a drink or three and enjoy having a great chat about those halcyon Tangerine days and nights that we all experienced together.

👍🧡🍻
 
onlyonepool said:
When clubs were sniffing around Ollie Karl said he would personally drive him there. Ollie had asked for a 3 year contract to feel secure and move here permanently. He felt after taking us to the Prem and 2 championship play off finals he had done enough to warrant it.
He wasn't backed for the striker he wanted in that last transfer window but depending on folks agenda all that is forgotten.
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Totally agree how someone on here can compare his leaving to how Critchley left us is mind blowing.
 
Having listened to his new book it is clear that as many have said, his views on Karl are to do with his day to day dealings in that he talks about previous clubs; QPR, Leiceter, Plymouth - there was interference with the day to day such as signing players he had not asked for, having barbecues with players, meddling in selection etc so KO was a massive relief on that score.

It was, in many ways, a good working dynamic so he can’t so otherwise. Clearly though KO ground him down and it was clear on the pitch at Wembley 2012 he was at the end of his rope - Karl failing to back the success etc. When he left he was broken and I have previously referenced seeing that at first hand near to the end and him practically being cajoled by his wife to carry on.

You cannot compare that end therefore to Critchley - operating under far better circumstances and peddling some bollocks that his phone was broken or that he needed clearance from Aston Villa until he could mention leaving. That remains, utter bollocks.

To think what Ollie did on no money and, which we kinda often miss, he then nearly took us up again straight away despite losing Vaughan, DJ, Charlie et al was unbelievable.

I think he should have chosen his words more carefully about the struggle though - he was not of course as vicious in that as Chisnall who somehow manages to cling onto commentating as ‘one of us’ despite his consistent direct criticism.

Anyway - Ollie‘s book is quite interesting.
 
If there's a good example of people come and go in football but only the fans remain it's him. Even if he did think KO was his best chairman then why does he feel the need to repeat this in every interview and rub our noses in it? It's almost as if he's revelling in it. I don't believe it either. He's a strange one alright.
 
Dougz said:
Doesn’t get the same grief as Critch but left us in exactly the same manner, in fact worse in some ways as he left on the morning of a match - despicable. Hero turned villain for me.
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Very different circumstances. Imagine handing your boss a wad of cash and him giving you a few pennies to spend. I’d have told them to stuff it as well!
 
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