Holloway keeps feet on ground

Holloway: Keeping feet on ground

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Blackpool boss Ian Holloway refused to get carried away after his side won 3-0 at Middlesbrough to climb into the Championship play-off zone.

The Seasiders won courtesy of Gary Taylor-Fletcher's first-half brace, while Charlie Adam added a third with seven minutes to play to wrap up the victory.

Holloway believed it was the best that any of his sides have performed since he was manager of Bristol Rovers, but still insisted promotion is not on the agenda.

"Don't start talking about promotion," he said. "We need to stay up, that's what my chairman wants me to do.

"We've got a group of people who are enjoying what they are doing, trying to learn their jobs.

"I'm trying to tell them when they're in certain areas, what to do and why to do it.

"They're taking it on board. I'm encouraging them and even if we do go behind I don't get as emotional and horrible as I used to because when I don't get what I want I'm not very nice.

"After having a year out I'm trying to stay calm.

"Bjorn Borg was always my hero but I was more like [John] McEnroe without the talent, if you know what I mean.

"But he was a genius whereas I was a ham-and-egger who used to get really angry.

"When you're little you need that but when you're manager and you get it you put people under pressure.

"I don't want to do that, I've got to handle the pressure and hope it goes down."

Strachan disappointed

Middlesbrough came into the match on the back of a 5-1 thrashing of QPR but the defeat continues the Teessiders' poor home form.

Gordon Strachan has yet to win at home since taking over in late October and expressed his surprise at both the result and the fans' patience.

"I think everybody is surprised to do so well the last couple of games," he said.

"It was one of those games where you're not proud of your performance, that's the lot of us.

"It's not just the players, I need to go back, the coaching staff need to go back and see how we approached this game. Did we do everything we can?

"And the players need to ask did they do everything they can to win a game of football?

"We'll look at that and there has to be answers, and there has to be answers quick because it is becoming a trend now; doing well away from home and not doing so well at home.

"And I find it surprising because the supporters are absolutely fantastic. They're very, very patient.

"At other clubs you do not get that time, so it cannot be from the pressure fans put on you at some clubs. There's no real pressure there."

And Strachan moved to calm fears over skipper Gary O'Neil, who was brought off during the second half on a stretcher and in a neck brace during the 300th game of his career.

"Gary's better now," he added. "He got a knock which shocked him a bit and scared him a bit.

"He's fine. I spoke to him a wee while ago and he's fine."