Part 2 - Special Feature: Quotes of the week
Arsene Wenger got into the act as well as he commented in a much more nihilistic tone on the Wayne Rooney tale of trades by stating, "It was just a story that for me, from the start to the end, was completely out of interest. When I saw
headlines I just turned the page". Ever the professor, Arsene Wenger has always been a diplomat through and through.
Ian Holloway on the other hand is devoid of such subtleties as he embarking on a process of elaborative commentary on Wayne Rooney, FIFA, UEFA and everything else that is wrong with the planet earth and its dominant species. "I can't believe
it's got to the stage where a player can dictate to such a famous club, with a blatant disregard for all that club and especially the manager's done for him.
"What is happening at Old Trafford is so wrong it frightens the life out of me. If a manager of the stature of Alex Ferguson can be bullied by a player and his agent, how sad a state is the game in? Don't talk to me about player power.
"The game has gone crazy; it has got totally out of control when a magnificent manager can be treated with such contempt. How can it be right for a club to pay nearly £30million for a player, invest time and resources to turn him into
a world-class performer and then be dictated to by that player? If he leaves now or in a year's time for less than he's worth, it is tantamount to United being robbed of a prize asset. Who's to say someone won't say to him you can stay there 18 months, throw
hissy fits, not try and at the end of the day we'll pay you the money we'd have paid United in transfer fees? The way the rules are, you could get away with that.”
"Who's to say that hasn't already happened? I know people will say it's another Holloway rant and why can't the little upstart mind his own business. But I don't care; it's something I feel very strongly about." If that wasn’t strong enough,
Ian Holloway went onto criticize the Bosman ruling which came out in 1995 regarding footballers and their contracts. The Blackpool manager added to his colourful comments by saying that "It all comes back to Bosman, which is a stupid ruling in terms of football
players.
"We had it right when I was a player. If a club offered you the same money you were on or a little bit more, you could not go anywhere without their permission, regardless of whether you were out of contract.
"If they wanted to sell you, they got the going rate. Otherwise they could just let you rot in the reserves until you saw sense. When you are paying all these millions for players, in transfer fees and wages that is how it should be. I
think we should all go to UEFA and FIFA and say 'Face it, you've got it wrong'. And when something is wrong in life, you change it.”
"How deep is that bucket of sand they've all got their heads buried in? Well, we need to make them face facts, or the game is in big trouble. Rooney isn't the first player to dictate to his club, he won't be the last. That is mainly because
of the agents and hangers-on who are telling them what they can earn. What they should do, rather than be ruled by their conscience - if they've got one."
No quotes of the week can be complete without Ian Holloway’s wise words featuring prominently. Ever since Blackpool have arrived on the Premier stage of English football, Ian has gone a long way in fulfilling the void that was left by
the special one, Jose Mourinho.
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