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rondwisan
11-10-2010, 12:45 PM
IAN HOLLOWAY INTERVIEW
The Great Entertainer
Soccernet, Dominic Raynor - October 9, 2010



Before Ian Holloway stepped into the intense spotlight of the Premier League most football fans' only exposure to the quirky manager came via his highly publicised post-match metaphors - which included comparisons to pulling women in the back of a taxi and burgling houses - but after just seven games in the English top flight the Blackpool boss has asserted what he is really about: attacking, entertaining football.

At the start of Blackpool's first campaign in the top flight since 1971 Holloway's unfancied side were favourites to go straight back down to the Championship they were never supposed to win promotion from in the first place. However, after away wins against Wigan Athletic and Newcastle United left the naysayers reviewing their predictions Holloway's Blackpool bagged a famous 2-1 win over Liverpool that made the football world take notice and left Anfield legends using words like 'nightmare' and crisis' to describe the Reds.

It was a result that announced Blackpool as serious contenders to avoid the drop and handed the tenth-placed club a third victory on the road this season to secure the best away record in the Premier League.

According to Holloway, it is no fluke that Blackpool have enjoyed more success away than at home. His refreshing all-or-nothing attacking philosophy simply works best when the opposition have an obligation to push forward, leaving Blackpool free to exploit the space with their main assets.

"Our strengths are attacking," Holloway tells ESPNsoccernet. " I think we proved that last season with the way we got promoted. Our players believe in the system that we are playing and they want me to let them attack. We have got nine out of fifteen points away from home and the points we have dropped are against Arsenal and Chelsea. I don't think there is any shame in that.

"Yes we have let in ten goals but who cares? Lots of people will lose like that to them. I don't think I attacked anywhere near well enough in those games."

But It's not just a gung-ho approach from manager who is just happy to be in the Premier League after serving his time in the lower leagues at clubs such as QPR, Plymouth and Leicester City. It's a considered and risky approach that Holloway continues to adapt as he learns more about the challenges in the top flight.

"In each game I have played at least three attackers and against Liverpool I started with four,' Holloway explains. "I don't think we would have been 2-0 up at half-time if I had only started with three because of where I played the fourth one. That's what they couldn't deal with. I don't think they are used to that.

"It might not be a surprise halfway through the season and teams might be good enough to deal with that and beat us, but we are nowhere near set up to defend our way into a lucky 1-0 win."

"We will not be the same as most Premiership teams as most Premiership teams are defensively minded and they are going away and parking the bus in front of the goal. We can't do that. We couldn't do it last year and with this group of players I can't do it this year. So I must attack."

It's a principle that served his team well as they blitzed their way through the Championship play-offs last season, scoring nine goals in three games, and it continues to produce results in a league where the intense pressure can often stifle tactics.

But while Holloway is happy that his approach entertains the fans, he is under no illusion that he's in a results driven business and his points target for the season is at the forefront of his mind.

"I think we've got 25 points still to fight for, to try and get from somewhere. And I can't see where they are coming from," Holloway says.

"Did we expect to get three points from Liverpool? No we didn't. But now that we have managed to win at Anfield, where their players were looking a bit shell-shocked that we were passing the ball around, we have to learn from that and try to impose our game on teams.

"And we genuinely don't know as yet how good we are as individuals, or as a team, and we are finding that out when the game starts."

"Everybody said we wouldn't get ten points after 38 games and yet we have got ten points already. I believe in this team, I believe in this club and I believe we will be good enough to stay in this division."

Despite the immediate target of Premier League survival, Holloway has much grander designs for his tenure and dreams of establishing a legacy at the club with a triumphant European campaign. It is certainly a lofty goal for a club of limited resources like Blackpool.

Europe is something that has always eluded the Tangerines - unless a 2-1 Anglo-Italian Cup victory over Bologne in 1971 counts - even during the era of club legends such as Sir Stanley Matthews and Stan Mortensen through the 1950s and beyond.

"We are the best team that Blackpool has had for 40 odd years, our results prove it. And I want to be the best Blackpool team that has ever been and that will take some doing because they won the FA Cup (1953) before and I think they came second or third in the top divisions. So we haven't half got a thing to follow but, you know, I want to try and win the European Cup with them. Why not?"

Holloway is reluctant to set a timeline for his ambitious plan but cites the example of Bill Shankly's achievements at Liverpool as inspiration. Shankly, who is credited for laying the foundations for the Anfield club's illustrious history, took control of the struggling Second Division club in 1959, dragged Liverpool into the top flight in 1961, into Europe in 1964 and then won the UEFA Cup in 1973.

"How long did it take Mr Bill Shankly to do that for Liverpool?' Holloway said asks. "And would they have done it without his vision, without his dream, without his belief?

"I can't put any time limit on it. I don't even know if I'll be in a job this time next year because football is that intransient. So I'm going to do my best to stay here as long as I can and hopefully I won't wear off on the people."

But for now the European dream will have to wait. The club must first concentrate on confounding the critics to stay in the top flight and Holloway concedes that a 17th place finish will do for a team predicted to prop up the table.

"I'm desperate to get enough points to beat three teams in this division. Who they are I really can't say, because we should end up bottom really," Holloway concludes.

rondwisan
11-10-2010, 12:48 PM
..............................
Kejenakaan Ian Holloway dan Kesuksesan Blackpool
oleh: Pangeran Siahaan

Sepeninggal Jose Mourinho, Premier League tidak lagi memiliki manajer berkarakter yang membuat orang terperangah dengan perilaku dan komentar-komentarnya. Musim depan, wawancara dengan Ian Holloway akan menjadi salah satu bahan tontonan karena manajer Blackpool tersebut terkenal jenaka.

Pada satu kesempatan, Holloway mengkritisi tentang larangan para pemain merayakan gol dengan membuka baju.

"Saya tidak mengerti, mereka ingin menarik lebih banyak wanita menonton sepakbola tapi mereka melarang para pemain membuka bajunya di lapangan. Saya tidak mengerti."

Holloway juga pernah berkomentar mengenai klubnya sekarang, Blackpool, yang pada awal musim diprediksi akan terdegradasi.

"Saya dan Blackpool mempunyai persamaan, kami lebih terlihat tampan dalam keadaan gelap."

Tapi pernyataan Holloway yang paling terkenal adalah mengenai betapa pentingnya kemenangan dalam sepakbola bagaimana pun caranya. Ia mengungkapkan ini setelah timnya menang atas Chesterfield dalam sebuah pertandingan yang jauh dari indah.

"Jika anda sedang berpelesir di malam hari mencari wanita dan anda mendapatkannya, bisa saja anda mendapatkan yang caem dan yang kurang caem. Penampilan kami hari tentu tidak bisa memberikan kami wanita yang paling caem, tapi paling tidak kami berhasil membawanya ke dalam taksi. Ia bukan yang paling caem tapi setidaknya kami berhasil membawanya pulang. Ia sangat baik dan menyenangkan, jadi terima kasih, mari minum kopi."

Seorang Jose Mourinho pun akan bangga mendengar pernyataan itu bukan?

Tapi Holloway bukan melulu soal metafor dan kejenakaan. Tangan dinginnya telah membawa Blackpool dengan dana minim ke dalam panggung mewah Premier League. Hanya 6 juta Pounds yang digelontorkan presiden klub Valeri Belokon di awal musim, tapi lihatlah berapa yang diraup klub berwarna oranye tersebut setelah promosi? Lebih dari 80 juta Pounds. Angka tersebut berasal dari hadiah untuk klub promosi dan dana talangan (parachute payment) yang menjadi hak klub-klub Premier League.

Belokon datang ke Blackpool pada tahun 2006. Ia membeli 20 % saham klub tersebut dan langsung menjadi bahan tertawaan saat ia mengatakan bahwa dalam waktu 5 tahun ia akan membawa Blackpool promosi ke Premier League.

Sadar bahwa uang yang dimilikinya tidak banyak, maka Belokon perlu manajer berkelas untuk menukangi timnya. Ia lalu mengalihkan pandangannya kepada Ian Holloway yang sudah setahun tidak melatih karena sibuk membangun peternakan unggas.

Prestasi Holloway sebelum "cuti" untuk mendirikan kandang ayam tidaklah mengkilap. Ia hengkang dari Leicester City setelah klub tersebut terdegradasi ke League One tahun 2008. Nasib memang tidak ada yang tahu karena 2 tahun kemudian Holloway diarak oleh para pemainnya keliling Wembley sebagai pemenang.

Sinergi Holloway dan Blackpool memang luar biasa musim ini. Holloway memerlukan pemain dengan kualitas lumayan dan Belokon menjawabnya dengan mendatangkan Charlie Adam dari Glasgow Rangers dengan nilai 500.000 Pounds. Tidak mudah membujuk Adam hengkang dari klub besar Skotlandia ke kasta kedua sepakbola Inggris, tapi usaha Holloway dan Belokon tidak sia-sia karena Adam menjadi topskor Blackpool musim ini dengan 19 gol.

Langkah brilian Holloway lainnya adalah saat ia bersikeras untuk meminjam kembali striker DJ Campbell dari Leicester City pada Februari tahun ini. Campbell sudah pernah dipinjam oleh Blackpool pada musim sebelumnya dan banyak pihak berpendapat bahwa meminjam pemain yang sama adalah langkah tidak efektif. Holloway membuktikan dirinya benar karena Campbell menjadi pahlawan Blackpool pada semifinal playoff melawan Nottingham Forest usai mencetak hattrick dalam interval 25 menit yang membawa The Seasiders unggul agregat 6-4.

Nama Ian Holloway sudah tentu akan terpatri dalam legenda Blackpool karena klub tersebut tidak pernah merasakan kompetisi level tertinggi Inggris sejak tahun 1971. Tapi pekerjaan rumah Holloway sama sekali belum usai. Bertahan di Premier League adalah target Blackpool musim depan dan statistik menunjukkan Holloway punya peluang 50 % untuk memenuhi target tersebut.

Tengok catatan performa klub-klub pemenang promosi via playoff dalam 10 tahun terakhir.

2009-10: Burnley, 18, degradasi

2008-09: Hull City, 17, bertahan

2007-08: Derby County, 20, degradasi

2006-07: Watford, 20, degradasi

2005-06: West Ham United, 9, bertahan

2004-05: Crystal Palace, 18, degradasi

2003-04: Wolverhampton Wanderers, 20, degradasi

2002-03: Birmingham City, 13, bertahan

2001-02: Bolton Wanderers, 16, bertahan

2000-01: Ipswich Town, 5, bertahan

Dengan peluang yang fifty-fifty, maka musim Holloway boleh berharap bahwa roh legenda Blackpool, Sir Stanley Matthews akan bermain bersama timnya musim depan dan memberi jaminan keselamatan untuk bertahan di Premier League.

rondwisan
12-10-2010, 08:21 AM
udah bikin pekara aja nih Oom IAN ... :))
Holloway apologises for abusing ref
Soccernet - October 1, 2010



Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has apologised for using abusive language towards referee Mike Dean at Bloomfield Road on Saturday.

Holloway has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association after he confronted Dean in the tunnel following the Seasiders' 2-1 loss to Blackburn in the Premier League.

The Blackpool boss, who could face a touchline ban, has until Friday to respond to the charge and Holloway admits he was wrong to speak to the official in the way he did.

"I apologise for the abusive language I used," Holloway said. "I should have gone in and calmly said 'I felt this, why did you do that,' because he is trying to do his job.

"My lads need me on the side, so if I am going to be punished up in the stand where I can't help them, what good is that to me and my team? So I have got to learn."

Asked how big a disadvantage he felt a touchline ban would be, Holloway said: "It will be huge, but you are asking me to talk about something I don't know. I might be pre-empting things. But I'll be up front and honest with you - I shouted at the referee coming off.

"I used the word 'useless' because I didn't think he had a very good game, and I put a horrible one in front of it. That was out of frustration and I shouldn't have done it.

"I'm still learning and I have got to learn quickly. I should have learned last week that whatever I shout out at someone because I am frustrated isn't acceptable, not from my position.

"That is not a good example to show to anyone in that tunnel and it is not what I want to say to that referee, because he did his best. I couldn't understand it, but that is not his fault - it's my fault, so I want to get some help."

Holloway hopes the refereeing authorities can clarify for him what does and does not constitute an infringement on the pitch.

"I'd like them to explain to me why that is a foul," Holloway said. "Then I can show my defenders, 'that is a foul and you can't do that at this level.' Then I can move on and I'll stop arguing.

"I've asked for (a meeting). It makes sense doesn't it - if I don't understand something and I am going to fight for my lads, I'd better shut up if I am wrong.

"I was told I was wrong last week, so I would like them to explain why I was wrong - apart from the swearing. You shouldn't abuse anyone and I did, and I am bang out of order."

rondwisan
12-10-2010, 08:22 AM
'n ..., kena dech ... :hammer::hammer:
________________________________

Blackpool boss Holloway hit with one-match ban
ESPNsoccernet - October 11, 2010



Ian Holloway has a reputation as one of the more engaging Premier League managers

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has been hit with a one-match touchline ban after admitting a Football Association charge of improper conduct.

Holloway has also been fined £9,500 for confronting referee Mike Dean following Blackpool's 2-1 loss at home to Blackburn Rovers on September 25.

The Blackpool boss was angry after seeing his side concede an injury-time goal. Holloway felt there was a suspicion of offside when Brett Emerton scored and also felt Gary Taylor-Fletcher was fouled in the build-up.

"At a Regulatory Commission hearing today [Monday], Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was given a one match touchline ban and fined £9,500," read an FA statement.

"Holloway admitted a charge of improper conduct relating to his language and behaviour towards match officials at the conclusion of Blackpool's match against Blackburn Rovers on 25 September. The touchline ban will be served with immediate effect."

Holloway will now be absent from the touchline for Saturday's home game against Manchester City.

rondwisan
16-10-2010, 09:46 AM
taken from 442 :
jelang Blackpool vs Man City, minggu lusa

Holloway is a better manager than Mancini

While Roberto Mancini was winning his third Serie A title with Inter in as many years, Ian Holloway became yet another victim of Leicester City’s revolving door policy. Since then, however, Holloway has gone from strength to strength with the Seasiders and statistics suggest he may not be lightyears away from his somewhat more glamorous opponent. Mancini has lost 23.08% of games as City boss, while Holloway has lost just 22.95% with Blackpool. Ollie also has a far better record for top-flight away games, winning 60% to Mancini’s 38.46%. But what we really want is to hear them imitate each other's accents.

rondwisan
30-10-2010, 09:18 AM
Holloway not distracted by Adam dispute
Soccernet - October 29, 2010


Blackpool boss Ian Holloway is adamant captain Charlie Adam's dispute with the club over unpaid bonuses will not have an impact on the pitch.

Reports emerged this week revealing the 24-year-old is taking Blackpool to court, claiming he is owed money as part of the contract he signed on joining the club from Rangers in August 2009, which stipulated he would be paid a survival bonus for every season the Seasiders stayed up.

Instead of merely avoiding relegation from the Championship, Blackpool won promotion to the Premier League.

Adam - a major doubt for Blackpool's clash with to West Brom at Bloomfield Road on Monday after requiring stitches in his ankle following a challenge with Nikola Zigic in last weekend's defeat to Birmingham - reportedly shared a £5 million bonus pot with his team-mates based on appearances, but believes he is also due the original bonus.

"At the moment all I know about Charlie is he's got a sore ankle - he's got some stitches in it and all I'm worried about is if he's going to be fit for Monday," Holloway said. "If there is a problem then it's none of my business.

"That's between the club and one of the players and it will be sorted out by arbitration by the sound of it so as far as I'm concerned Charlie Adam is my player and I will keep treating him as that.

"If Charlie feels that way, if the chairman feels that way and there's a dispute, then someone else has got to sort it out and I'm delighted that it's not me.

"If he decides to be upset and unhappy I'll deal with every mood - and he's had a few since I've been here. I'll deal with them and I'll manage them as I've done before. Charlie has no problem with me at all. I've got no problem with him, and the club doesn't have a problem with him.

"If he feels aggrieved then he's dealing with it in the right manner and it will get sorted one way or another."

There have been suggestions that if Adam were to be successful it could bring the legitimacy of his contract into question and even pave the way for him to leave as a free agent.

"If he's out of contract then we'll have to wait and see. If not, someone might have to buy him by January," Holloway said, "and it'll be a lot more than we paid for him because he's been a success.

"We'll see next week and then we'll move on from whatever the decision is. Charlie knows what I've been trying to do with him anyway is to make him worth a lot of money and then sell him to a much better club than us because I believe he's good enough to play for a much better club than us.

"But we are now a much better club because of him, and I think it's a joint thing. It's been a joint venture and I don't want that to change and that's why I'm not concerned about what I read in the papers. That is a financial thing that will be sorted out.

"And when I know what that is, I'll deal with it the way I've dealt with everything else."

A number of players, including Adam, who have impressed in Blackpool's start to the campaign have been linked with moves away from the club in January.

But Holloway has advised them to focus on the competition for places with whoever he might bring to the club in the transfer window rather than eye a move.

"I think if I was one of my players I would be concerned about who I might bring in in January," he added. "And I think the way footballers should think is that when that window opens I want to be in the gaffer's mind playing really well and trying to earn a new contract myself because I love playing for Blackpool and I love playing for him and I want to stay at this football club.

"And they should be worrying about who's going to replace them because we're progressing."

rondwisan
12-11-2010, 07:45 AM
Holloway issues Blackpool quit threat over team changes
Soccernet - November 11, 2010


Blackpool boss Ian Holloway laid down the gauntlet to the Premier League by declaring he will resign if the club are punished for fielding a weakened team against Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Holloway made his threat during an extraordinary rant that followed the 3-2 defeat at Villa Park, where the Tangerines - who showed 10 changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Everton last weekend - were only denied a point by James Collins' late winner.

The Premier League set a precedent last year when Wolves were given a suspended £25,000 fine after manager Mick McCarthy made ten changes to his side to face Manchester United.

But, while McCarthy admitted he made the alterations in order to give his team the best chance of beating Burnley in the next game, Holloway insisted his side was not weakened and that he had no choice because of the club's busy schedule.

Asked what he would do if the Premier League impose the same punishment on his club, an angry Holloway said: "I'd pack in. I can't work for this madness. I would resign. They do not know what they're talking about.''

Blackpool played West Brom last Monday and Everton on Saturday, while Wednesday's trip to Villa will be followed this Saturday by a visit to London to face West Ham.

There was no question Holloway's team were impressive, with goals from former Villa player Marlon Harewood and DJ Campbell cancelling out leads given to Villa by Stewart Downing and Nathan Delfouneso.

Campbell's strike came three minutes from time and looked to have earned Blackpool a point but from the restart the hosts forced a corner and Collins squeezed his header inside the post.

Holloway said of his side, many of whom were signed late in the summer transfer window: "What they've done is nigh on short of a miracle already. If Charlie (Adam) played, if (David) Vaughan played, if (Gary) Taylor-Fletcher played, they're all carrying slight bits and pieces. Charlie and Vaughany have been off on international duty - they haven't had a break.

"I should have probably played the other players at Birmingham (last month) but I didn't. It's all about getting the timing right. I can't keep picking the same XI when the others are trying their heart out and never give them a chance.

"I knew all the way along, whatever the scores were, I was going to reward the ones who played well for me last year and then I'm going to try some news ones. I gave myself at least 10 games and this is the 12th game.

"If I play my players four times in a row at this level, they will get injured, and I don't do that to my players. I picked a team that I spent a lot of money on.

"I've been working with them for the last however many weeks and I've been watching them improve. I might have to play them a lot more because some of them outplayed my team that has been playing.''

Villa boss Gerard Houllier admitted he was concerned when he saw Blackpool's team because of his previous experiences of both fielding much-changed sides and facing them, particularly with Villa attempting to end a run of five league games without a win.

"When I saw their team line-up I was extremely worried because it happened to me twice,'' Houllier said. "Once I had to do it myself for a cup game and we won, and it happened also when I was at Liverpool and Sunderland came with a depleted team and they won.

"The team you are going to play have nothing to lose - they throw everything at you. We were a bit anxious, a bit nervous because we needed the points.''


Holloway refuses to accept constraints on selection
ESPN - November 11, 2010

Ian Holloway has warned the Premier League that he will not be dictated to over team selection, in light of his controversial decision to make wholesale changes to his Blackpool side for the trip to Aston Villa.
Holloway made ten changes from the side that drew 2-2 with Everton the previous Saturday. Only a late goal from James Collins denied his side a point and, in his post-match interview, Holloway hit out at suggestions he had fielded a weakened team.

He has insisted he has no case to answer with the Premier League, despite the governing body confirming they would look into the affair.

"I am paid to be the manager of Blackpool Football Club and paid to utilise them in a 25-man squad," Holloway said. "I did not play anyone outside my 25 yesterday, so I don't know what on Earth they are talking about. They should judge my team on how they played. If they had lost 10-0, maybe then I had played a weakened team.

"I need to take this squad forward to see who is good enough and who isn't and I believe they all are - I would not have signed them otherwise.

"I am not having anyone tell me who I can play. My chairman does not do it, so why should the Premier League? Who the hell are they to tell me, with the greatest respect, who I have signed are they good enough or not even before they have had a chance to play?"

rondwisan
30-11-2010, 08:12 AM
Holloway wants to quiz Mourinho
ESPNsoccernet - November 28, 2010


Blackpool manager Ian Holloway admits he would love to learn from Jose Mourinho but only after the Real Madrid manager offers him tickets for Monday's 'Clasico'.

Holloway has cemented his own reputation as a cult figure in Blackpool, after the Tangerines made an impressive, attacking start to their Premier League campaign and the club's fans refer to him as 'Ollie Mourinho'.

His often irreverent and amusing post-match interviews have led to comparisons with the former Chelsea manager, and Holloway admits he would love the chance to pick the brains of his fellow coach.

But his first priority is to snare some tickets for Monday's clash between La Liga's heavyweight clubs, Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"I would love to go over there. Charlie Adam (Blackpool's captain) asked me if the lads could go over,'' said Holloway. "I said 'Well done if you can get any tickets for that'. I am asking to see if I can get some tickets.

"I am fascinated by the way his (Mourinho) teams seem to improve wherever he has gone, how quickly he has done it. I would love to learn and if I can make any kind of contact I will. There are lots of people I am trying to learn from.''

Holloway has been lauded for the open, attacking game his team plays and he admits he is a fan of Spanish football - which he believes currently leads the way. "Some of the best football I have seen in the world has been in Spain, the way they do things,'' he added.

"It started with Barcelona and Johan Cruyff and his way of playing. I think the whole of Spain embraced that. We are getting it all wrong. It is the secret we should learn. I want my lads to be students of the game.''

The only thing missing so far in Blackpool's season is their inability to hold onto a lead - something they again demonstrated after surrendering a two-goal advantage to Bolton at the Reebok on Saturday. Ian Evatt and Luke Varney put them 2-0 up with 14 minutes to go but Martin Petrov and Mark Davies rescued a point for the home side.

Although Holloway praised his players for their performance, he did offer some words of advice. "If there is anything wrong it is the two centre-halves have to get nasty and organise the people in front of them a damn sight better than they do sometimes,'' he said.

"We kept emptying out midfield trying to get the third when we should be keeping the ball. But I suppose that is a bit harsh because the way my boys are playing I'm loving every minute of it.''

rondwisan
03-12-2010, 07:39 AM
Holloway gears up for 'mighty Manchester United'
MEN - December 02, 2010



Ian Holloway says Manchester United's visit to Bloomfield Road on Saturday is the highlight of his management career.

The Seasiders boss is a huge admirer of Sir Alex Ferguson, who he calls "a living legend".

He also has the utmost respect for Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and admits he can't wait to welcome them to Blackpool for Saturday's first meeting between the clubs in 36 years.

United may have taken a Carling Cup hammering at West Ham, but they remain the only unbeaten club in the Premier League and top the table by two points.

Holloway said: "Sir Alex is a living legend. What he has done in the game is just unreal.

"It will be an honour to welcome him to Blackpool because he is the top of the tree when it comes to British managers.

"The great thing about him is that if he misses your call he will ring you back within 10 minutes. How good is that?

"I admire a lot of clubs but Manchester United have a certain aura and Sir Alex certainly has.

"He gets under people's skin as well because he actually says what he feels and you need that passion. Bill Shankly had the same passion and he started all that great success at Liverpool.

"Sir Alex has matched that fantastic record of Liverpool's (18 League titles). One more and he will have beaten it in his own lifetime, which is just unbelievable.

"Welcoming Sir Alex will be great and probably the highlight of my managerial career so far because it's a league game, not a one-off cup match, and we're playing mighty Manchester United."