Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Ian Holloway: Crystal Palace are ‘on a hiding to nothing’

Ian Holloway says newly promoted Crystal Palace are “on a hiding to nothing” in the Premier League next season.

Kevin Phillips scored from the penalty spot in extra-time as Palace claimed a 1-0 victory against Watford in the play-off final at Wembley on Monday.

“It all starts now for me because the minute we kick off next season we’re on a hiding to nothing,” said Holloway.

Holloway added he would have to “scratch my head and wonder ‘just how are we going to stay in the Premier League?’

Well I think the £120m they pocketed from winning yesterdays game will be a big help, add that to the £15m they got for selling Zaha to United and Palace could be one of the biggest spenders in the summer.

Although I’m an Arsenal fan for sheer comedic purposes I wanted Palace to win just so the Premier League can welcome back Ian Holloway who, like Mourinho who is also coming back, is pure box office entertainment for the neutral.  

The game itself was pretty tense in the first half and wasn’t much of a spectacle, but second half the players relaxed a bit and the game opened up, thought Palace deserved to win it in the end.

Although I think the money made available to the team that wins has got out of control, the Championship play-off final is the richest game in football, you get more money for winning it than you do for winning the Champions League, explain that one because I sure can’t.

I understand that it’s to give the winning team money to spend and a chance to stay in the Premier League, but I don’t see why they should receive more than, for example, the winners of the Premier League.    

It was interesting to watch Zaha yesterday, as I’d never seen him play before a full game before, I thought he was the stand-out player he was full of tricks and speed as most wingers are but he seems quite strong and difficult to muscle off the ball.


If he is developed in the same way as a few notable other wingers were at United (Giggs, Beckham and Ronaldo) he could have a fledgling career ahead of him. 

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