Holloway column

Listen to Ollie sound off!

The Leicester manager gives his inimitable views on football and life in general in his weekly column.

This week he talks about facing his old club Plymouth and the reception he might get.

He also gives his reaction to playing Premier League games abroad, the demise of Grange Hill and why Engand's deaf footballers should get more recognition.

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PLYMOUTH FANS AT LEICESTER

I don't know what to expect. I had some terrible letters after I left Plymouth but recently I've had some nice ones from Argyle fans.

But does it really matter? When you're getting dogs' abuse from your own supporters, that's when you've got a problem.

I've been fortunate to go back and be welcomed at Bristol Rovers, I've been more than welcomed at QPR for the job I tried to do there and I hope one day that Plymouth say the same to me.

But I'm looking forward to the game. It's not about me, it's about two clubs playing each other looking for three points.

BLACKPOOL SOUR

Leicester beaten by Seasiders after last-minute strike.

I'm disapppointed we haven't managed to win two games in a row yet this year.

I think the lads deserve it, we've worked really hard and we were a bit fortunate ourselves against Palace, which could easily have been a draw.

So we knew how it felt to win like that, but to be honest I couldn't see Blackpool doing the same thing to us.

We were on top after we equalised but you have to give them credit. They brought on a subsitute, our old player Paul Dickov, and he scored. Now we've got to dust ourselves down and try to get three points on Saturday.

WHO WAS THAT MASKED MAN?

Leicester fan site urging supporters to print off Holloway masks and wear them to the Plymouth game.

Don't have nightmares....

Well what a scary sight that would be! It's hard enough for me looking in the mirror every day, but for that lot to put those on - they'll scare people to death. Guy Fawkes has got nothing on me.

So it's just my face with the eyes cut out? Oh my goodness gracious me.

As I said, it's been hard enough for me staring at this fizzog * all my life, without seeing hundreds of me walking about!
* That's 'boat race' to you and me - Ed.

WORLD FOOTBALL

Premier League proposal to play one additional league match abroad.

I think it's a load of rubbish. How can you ask football fans to go all that way? It's just about the money.

I hope the fans are allowed to have their view and it's listened to. I'm not having that, I don't like that idea. Go and have a two-week break and play an exhibition game or something.

They're saying it's to promote the Premier League but the Premier League's shown all over the world anyway!

A colleague of mine suggested an alternative would be to play the Charity Shield in a different country every year. Ed.

They say charity begins at home...

That's a good idea, in fact it's a great idea. Who thought up that? He sounds like a clever fella, a bit of a boffin. He must have been teacher's pet when he was at school!

His name's Andy Fraser. Ed.

Well done Andy, you busy devil! Top of the class - what a creep!

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

Ghana striker Junior Agogo was offered a wife after getting his side into the Africa Cup of Nations semi-final. An 82-year-old fan turned up at the team's hotel and promised his "very beautiful grand-daughter" to him.

Good gracious me, now there's a bonus! Has Junior Agogo already got a wife? If so, what's she going to say about that?!

Imagine that, taking another wife back home with him. "Hello love, this is what I won when I was away!" Fancy being moaned at twice - I don't think I could take that!

But that is a pay packet and a half, isn't it? Although you might have some difficulty getting her into a brown envelope.

GRANGE HILL TO SHUT AFTER 30 YEARS

I was a big fan back in the day - Zammo and all that. I remember that drugs storyline which we all thought was terrible but would never become a reality and yet look at the world now.

But those kids never seemed to grow up did they? I wonder if they still look the same now?

Those were the days

It was a good programme and I've got that music in my head now. I don't know who wrote it but it's a damn good tune.

I also liked Byker Grove - the most aggressive show ever. By-ker Grooooo-ve - that music scared you when you first heard it and you'd turn over straight away.

PUNTER'S QUESTION

Wormulus: "Ollie,I was wondering if you could give my team a bit of a lift. I lead a team of street fundraisers for The National Deaf Children's Society but I'm running low on good material for my team talks. What can I tell them to keep them going through wind and rain?

Well they're doing a fantastic job. I was with the GB deaf football team last Saturday and they were fantastic company. I'm going to be their patron.

It was an uplifting experience but it breaks your heart to see the lack of recognition they get. They've won their Olympics (the Deaflympics) six times and were runners-up in the European Championships last year, and yet no-one's ever heard of them.

They've been told they've got to join the Paralympics. Why? They're deaf. Their Olympics has been going for years but it's just not recognised. I don't understand it. How can you fail to exist in the government's eyes?

Britain's deaf footballers have done us proud

I'm going to be banging the drum and Gordon Brown's going to be hearing from me, I can assure you.

It was a great night last Saturday - girls totally deaf dancing on stage to the music in perfect time. They couldn't hear it but they could feel the vibrations. Just because you can't hear something doesn't mean you've got to feel sorry for yourself.

And to the people on the streets, keep smiling and make sure you wrap up warm because what you're doing warms a lot of people's hearts.

ENGLAND'S NEW REGIME

You compare the deaf team to our national team and the sorry state we're in. They're overpaid, over-rated and basically we're not that good.

If they're not careful, the paying public are going to fall out of love with them the way they're behaving.

But at last we've got a bloke in Fabio Capello who's going to inject a bit of discipline into them. You're not going to mess with him, are you? It's a shame we couldn't get an English manager, but all due respect to him.

606: DEBATE Ask Ollie a question

The players have been acting like 15ft budgies - what do they do, anything they like. It's just disgusting.

The gulf between the ordinary person on the street and some of these players now is quite obscene. And they need to get a reality check because are they really that good?

Compare that to our deaf team - no-one's aware of them and yet they've won the Olympics six times and come second in the European Championship, which we couldn't even qualify for.

PUNTER'S QUESTION II

Lesta gansta: Hi Ollie, You recently missed your wife's birthday, but survived to tell the tale. I personally would have been strung up by by unmentionables!

Don't forget it's Valentine's Day soon! My question is this, should I go out and treat the missus or is Valentine's Day an excuse for businesses to rob us of our hard-earned cash by forcing us to be romantic every 14 February?

I listened to a very clever woman the other day. She said instead of buying your loved one a card you should make one because it means more. And instead of taking her out for a meal you should make an effort and cook her one.

Will it be a good year for the roses?

And there was another thing, which I've completely forgotten - I've got this terrrible habit of forgetting things at the moment. I'm 44 now and I think senility is creeping in!

In answer to your question, I don't want to be forced to be romantic but you've got to have some romance in your life so why not give her a good day?

I've got to give my wife a good day for all the rubbish ones I've given her most of her life! Poor woman.

I'm not sure about the cooking but I'm definitely going to make her a card (hopefully she won't read this) - and not because I'm a cheapskate either!

I cannot believe I got so wrapped up in doing my job that I actually forgot her birthday, which is horrific, You can never really get over that, can you?

I was in the middle of a busy transfer window but that's no excuse is it? I'm still in the doghouse now!

PUNTER'S QUESTION III

Mudmama: "You asked for manager lookalikes - what about this... separated at birth - Fabio Capello and Dennis the Menace."

Fabio Capello and the England manager

Ha ha ha! Yeah, if he grows his hair a bit longer and walks out in a big stiff breeze wearing a red and black stripy jumper, I can see that one.

We'd have to get him a little Gnasher as well. Anyone sent in any more? Martin Jol's definitely Shrek, isn't he?

Send us your manager lookalikes - including one for Gnasher! Ed.

Ian Holloway was talking to Chris Charles.