Holloway bemoans Campbell's red card

Last updated : 27 February 2011 By INOIT

WolvesBadgeBlackpool boss Ian Holloway admitted his players were beaten by the better team after a 4-0 thrashing to Wolves at Molineux on Saturday afternoon.

The charismatic boss shook off the game's effects on him personally, but made the admission that Wolves deserved their win.

"I don't get shattered, I'm not made of glass or crystal, I'm a football manager, unfortunately we got beat by the better team today, but what can you do?" he said after the game.

"You need things to go for you, we spoke about doing certain things right and doing them better and unfortunately we were one down within two minutes, which changed the whole complexity of the crowd, their players, our crowd and our players but such is life.

"It doesn't matter where in the league you are in this wonderful division we're in, you play good teams, great teams and they were a good team today."

Blackpool were playing after a comprehensive victory over Champions League hopefuls Tottenham on Tuesday evening, but were without captain Charlie Adam for Saturday's defeat and lost striker DJ Campbell during the game after being sent off. 

The 47-year-old added: "I think their closing, their shape, everything about them was better so you've got to pick yourself up, dust yourself down and get on with it.

"I can proudly say Tottenham weren't like that but we rode our luck in that game and unfortunately goals are vital and Luke Varney missed our only chance and that was huge. If he'd have scored then who knows what would have happened, maybe DJ wouldn't have been frustrated.

"We beat Sunderland without Charlie, today we have Charlie and DJ, we wouldn't have been promoted without them two. We'll miss them for the next game at least so let’s get ready and let's see what we can do against Chelsea."

Speaking about the sending off of Campbell, Holloway accepted that the referee's decision was justified, but also insisted that his strikers behaviour was probably provoked.

He said: "It probably seemed pretty innocent but he's got scrapes down the back of his Achilles. It's Stearman who kicked him up and down however many times before that but it's still unacceptable, that's part and parcel of your job and it's out of character so there's obviously something not quite right with him today and it really cost us didn't it."

Holloway also commented on the fact that Wolves have managed to beat the best teams in the league during the seaon and insists that Molineux isn't the easiest of places to play.

"This is no disgraceful result here to be honest," he added. "Because if you look at the week Manchester United got beat here, Chelsea's been beat here it's a difficult place to come when the fans were in the vice that they were today."

The Seasiders boss was also on hand to pay his respects to the death of former Wolves player, Dean Richards, who died on Saturday at the age of just 36.

Holloway said: "I lived a few doors down from him in St Albans. Wonderful fella, my love goes out to his family."