The thoughts of Ian Holloway

Something to lighten the gloom.

Brilliant and entertaining from Olly once again!

Charlie may want a move.I wanted an ice cream...but didn't get one

I do not care if mighty Liverpool have made a bid for my captain and best player Charlie Adam – if they don't improve it drastically or put a "1" in front of it, then they can go and whistle. They have offered £4m, which I think is a disgrace.

Anyone who doesn't agree with me should watch a video of yesterday's game with Sunderland because Charlie was immense, the best player on the pitch. He has some unbelievable skill and talent and if other clubs think he is only worth £4m, then I despair, I really do.

We've had three bids for him so far, from clubs that are round and about us in the League, but I'd suggest that rather than waste my time, or try and unsettle my club, they offer me a real amount of money.

Charlie deserved better than just the one goal he got yesterday, but Sunderland's keeper Craig Gordon made some terrific stops to deny him. I thought we were unlucky not to get anything out of the game to put it mildly. But maybe it was karma from when we won at their place just after Christmas and they dominated and had 33 shots on goal but didn't score from any of them.

Well done to Steve Bruce. His club continue to thrive. They were upset about Darren Bent going but at least they got a decent amount of money for him. We're not being offered anything even half-decent for Charlie and as far as I'm concerned he is going nowhere.

Every press conference, the first dozen questions are always about Charlie and whether he'll be leaving. The constant speculation does not bother me though. The fact he is getting all this attention is deserved because he has played well for us. I want all my players to get plaudits.

Will Charlie go? It is very simple. Life is about timing and this isn't the right time. He will stay with us because the figures being bandied around are insulting. We will get £46m if we stay up so why get rid of Charlie now for a good deal less than that?

I trust Charlie to continue to be professional, even if part of him does want a move away. Every day when I was a kid I heard the ice-cream van and I wanted an ice cream. Did I have one? No. I had to get on with it.

I'm sure he is professional enough to look at it again in the summer and think about his choices then. In the meantime I want him to get on with showing off his brilliant skills and passing range for the remainder of the season. Charlie has the chance to help us achieve something really special and then he can gain his reward, so I don't see the rush.

Hammer this Board

Avram Grant deserves full marks for managing to retain his dignity during a helluva tough couple of weeks.

There is nothing more important to a manager than having a good relationship with your chairman and his or her full support. Has Avram had that? It amazes me that boards seem to think a change of manager is the answer to their problems. It ain't.

I am one of 18 managers, either caretaker or permanent, Leicester have had since 2000. That doesn't breed stability and success, quite the opposite. If you are a manager, and the club is wobbling above you, then I don't care who you are, you're in trouble.

West Ham's predicament is sad because what a tradition they have. Their fans are superb. Was Avram ever really going? I know he threw his scarf to the crowd last week but Charlie Adam throws his shirt to the fans every game and it doesn't mean he is about to toddle off into the sunset. It is a gesture of thanks for the support. West Ham are two or three wins from climbing out of trouble and I would not be surprised if they managed it.

Who thinks we will end United's run? Me for one

With Manchester United coming to Bloomfield Road on Tuesday, I don't think I will be able to sleep much over the next couple of nights.

I cannot wait. I've been looking forward to it ever since the original game was postponed at the start of December and had to be rearranged.

United have that special aura about them and it will be one of the highlights of my managerial career to be sat opposite Sir Alex Ferguson, watching Wayne Rooney and Ryan Giggs in those famous red shirts.

I've heard one or two of our lads describe it as a free game because no one expects us to win. Wrong. I expect us to. We need the points and there isn't a mountain in the world that hasn't been climbed. We'll have a go and see what we can do.

I'm not stupid and I know we'll need a bit of luck along the way because they are formidable. To end their unbeaten run would be quite something but that's a massive "if".

The exciting thing is not being scared, because even if we don't win, it is still a great achievement for Blackpool just to be facing the mighty Man U in a League game.

That is what is fundamentally fuelling my fire. It's not that I want to prove everybody wrong like some people think. It's because of what a fantastic time this is, and if this is as good as it gets then fair enough – I am going to enjoy every minute.

Cloughie was right.Hit the fan

I could not believe what I saw after Stevenage beat Newcastle in the FA Cup and a fan landed a right hook on one of the players.

I know the lad who was hit. It was Scotty Laird, a belting fella I used to manage at Plymouth. Apparently one of his own fans – who was supposed to be celebrating – asked Scotty if he could have his shirt. Scotty said no and so the supporter thumped him.

Now Scotty is as tough as old boots and he will be fine, but it was quite horrific to see. It is probably the most cowardly thing I've ever seen.

Then last week Steve Harper got pushed over by a Sunderland fan after the North-east derby. Football fans can't half be stupid sometimes.

Brian Clough had the right idea. He hit one of his own fans for running on the pitch. I admired him for that, especially when the supporter ended up apologising and Cloughie gave him a kiss. Only Cloughie could get away with that. Unbelievable.

It is a pity Brian isn't still around. It is hard to describe how much I would have loved for us to sit in opposite dug-outs and have a drink afterwards. He was a genius and it still annoys me that he didn't get the England job.

It is just a pity we were managers at different times because he is a man after my own heart, a true one-off.

That Pennant is a carazy guy

My favourite story of the week had to be Jermaine Pennant leaving his Porsche at a Spanish railway station for five months because he forgot he had one. You couldn't make it up.

Well hang on, son, I'll have it if you don't need it. Get in touch and I'll send my address – I'll even pay for the delivery charge.

I've recently bought a new Bentley that I got off a mate and I'm delighted with it. But if Jermaine wants to give me another motor I guess I'd be forced to graciously accept. Fingers crossed he bears me in mind.

I'm not crowing but cockerels had to go

Lots of people have told me about this film, 127 hours, where the rock climber has to cut off his arm to survive. It sounds up my street because I love a bit of gore.

I had to kill some of my cockerels the other day because it's all gone a bit pear-shaped and mine were starting to crow at 4am and would not shut up. The young ones are answering the older birds and there would have been big problems in the spring because they fight like billy-oh and take each other's eyes out just for the chance to mate with the hen of their choice.

Anyway, they were annoying my neighbours so I had to deal with them. We had 12, I killed eight and two did a runner. They knew what I was going to do.

It was horrendous; put it this way, a lot of people who eat chicken curry probably wouldn't if they had to do their own.

Maybe it is why I like movies with a bit of blood. The Saw films are brilliant. So I will probably go and see this rock-climber film, especially as I love the cinema.

It is a dying art but great value for money, you don't get wet and you see some fantastic movies.

Time to call stumps on ol' man Blatter

Thank God for Sepp Blatter. He gives us something to talk about. I'm not sure what planet this man is living on any more, but it isn't the same as the rest of us.

Qatar are insisting we have the World Cup in the summer now, even though Sepp wanted it in January, and they have made him look like a bit of a plonker.

The whole thing is an absolute shambles and completely sums up the organisation. The Women's Institute, sat there with their knitting needles, could have sorted it better than Fifa.

Anybody with half an ounce of common sense would have asked at the outset: "When is the tournament and how hot is it in Qatar in the summer? What? It's that hot, is it? Sorry Qatar, you can't have it."

But not these whizzkids at Fifa. Blatter is standing for re-election in June. Is he having a laugh? You are 74, you've had a good innings old son. Now it's time to jog on.