Holloway column

This week the Plymouth manager talks about England's performance in the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Plus his thoughts on Plymouth's play-off hopes, Elton John's 60th birthday bash, why he won't be appearing in Extras and why he is scared of going to Australia.

PLYMOUTH'S PLAY-OFF BID

" It'll be nice to get back to playing a bit of football. It's been the weirdest two weeks ever - it feels like three months.

I didn't see the lads for three days because I sent them away to Spain, so they lazed around on a beach. It's all right for them - I had to do some serious work!

We're a bit behind the rest of the pack but you never know, do you? The next three games are absolutely vital. We've got one spare game and if we win that we'll be on 55 points. But realistically we need to win seven and draw one to stand a chance of getting in the top six.

The good thing is it's nice to be more or less safe already - I'd have taken that at the start of the season when Nick Chadwick was my only striker.

I shook his hand on my first day, looked down and he had a cast on his foot. Championship side with no strikers - don't panic!

So considering that, we've done all right, but don't tell the players because it'll go straight to their heads. "

ENGLAND'S PERFORMANCES

" We got four points out of six. We all wanted six but I think it's really difficult when teams put 11 people behind the ball. We found that in the World Cup when Trinidad & Tobago's centre-forwards marked our full-backs.

Andorra had five at the back, four or five across midfield and the fans cheered when they kicked the ball out! I don't care how good you are, you can't just dance round 8-10 players and stick it in the net.

While I watch England I'm a supporter and if you'd been sat with me in my house you've had heard me shouting and screaming "Come on boys, you can do it!". And if I was stood on the terraces out there I wouldn't be moaning and booing them because I don't think that helps.

I think you're entitled to give your opinion because you've paid your money but you should do that at the end of the match. During it, your role is to support your team and help them win.

And let's be perfectly honest about all this talk of us having world-class players. I think you can only be called a world-class player when you've actually done something.

Franz Beckenbauer was a world-class player, so was Bobby Moore and Johann Cruyff, but most of this current England team have done absolutely nothing. Yes we've got some good players, but is the balance right? I don't think so.

Plus the fact, we've lost Alan Shearer, we've lost Michael Owen and people are wondering why we're not scoring a goal.

Bulgaria are no great shakes and if we played them we'd be expected to win, but in that lad Berbatov they've got a centre forward who I would argue is better than any of ours at the moment - and that includes Rooney, because he's still only a young kid and he's got to learn to grow up. "

TREATMENT OF STEVE McCLAREN

" I don't like the personal stick that Steve's getting. I think it's absolutely disgusting. Right from day one the man was undermined in the way that he got the job.

There should be no player bigger than the England manager, no player bigger than the team and there is at the moment.

If he'd left one of them out, what would have happened? He'd get slaughtered if it didn't work - in fact he'd get slaughtered anyway.

606: DEBATE

I think he's on a hiding to nothing but he's my England manager and I love him and hopefully he'll get us through qualifying. We've still got a few games and my glass is always half-full.

Some of the people writing some of these articles should have a go at doing the England job for a day. Let them walk even half a pace in Steve's shoes and see how they get on. "

'WHO ATE ALL THE PIES' WEBSITE WANTS YOU AS NEXT ENGLAND BOSS

Ha ha! Well that's very flattering but I think they'll have to go and swivel on that idea!

PUNTER'S QUESTION

Nick P: "I'm 17 and have been living in New Zealand for 10 years. I really miss the football culture and I think I am the only person in this country who wears an Argyle shirt to training! Would you ever consider doing a pre-season tour of Australia against the A-League teams?"

" I'd consider it, yes, good gracious me. If he knows anyone who will sponsor us to go over there we'd be over in a flash.

I'm a bit scared of that country, though, to be totally honest. Apparently there's 10 things that can kill you.

I saw Billy Connolly once talk about that and it scared me to death. He'd heard about these Stingers, but he didn't know what they were.

He wasn't sure if they fell out of the sky or arrived in a taxi, but it turns out they float about in the water. So I'd have to think twice about going over there! "

PUNTER'S QUESTION II

Hugh: "Hi Ollie, I am a huge fan of your humour. With the news that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are filming more episodes of Extras, would you please consider teaming up with them for a guest role?"

" We've gotta be realistic here - that's TV work and someone needs to tell them that I've got the right face for radio, so I've got no chance.

I'm told neither of them are that great shakes in the looks department either but I think if you spoke to them they'd think they are - all these TV personalities do. "

DID YOU SEE ANY OF ELTON JOHN'S 60TH BIRTHDAY GIG?

" I was waiting for the invite and I didn't get one so I didn't bother watching it. I was very disappointed I didn't get one, especially after Watford very luckily beat us in the Cup!

I saw him play at Home Park last summer but I won't be seeing George Michael when he comes down here later this year because I'll be on holiday somewhere.

Everyone in the town is buzzing about George coming here - all we need is Rod Stewart and we've got the hat-trick. "

Interview by Chris Charles.

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Plymouth Argyle
Get more Holloway columns from BBC Sport
Who ate all the pies - Hollowatch
Five Live Sport
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