BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Holloway could get a chance to hone his soundbites further

I'M a subscriber to the old dogs, new tricks mindset – after all Mrs B can now clear an outside drain – so the reincarnation of Neil Warnock doesn't surprise me.

Once a pitbull of a manager whose teams were sent out to clatter opponents, intimidate refs, win at all costs and then protest loudly at the end, he's been reborn.

QPR are now all ball players – with the honourable exception of Shaun Derry, Muttley to Warnock's Dick Dastardly, the faithful bulldog who won't leave his side.

The post-whistle protests, however, are still part of his armory, a fiery reminder of those days in charge of Scarborough, Notts County and Huddersfield. Describing a player as "a disgrace", followed by a "bit thick" and topped off with "naive" is priceless, especially when it's one of his own. Step forward crestfallen Armand Traore, recipient of a red card and a ton of abuse from Warnock in his unreconstructed pomp.

You can guarantee that Warnock will slot seamlessly into the socks worn by Ian Holloway as this season's Premier League go-to gaffer fordaft soundbites.

Not that Holloway is prepared to lie down and disappear. The barking Blackpool boss was up for an outburst at the weekend and his tirade against ref Darren Deadman was a goodie.

"It was far too officious, if that's how they're being asked to referee then they should seriously question it," he blustered. "I'm not griping about it. I just think it almost ruined a good game. If we need that many bookings in a game I'm ever so sorry."

So you should be, Ian. So you should be. Sorry for making very little sense at all.

Try again tonight at Coventry where you'll have plenty more to moan about because the Sky Blues are going to do you. That's a nice little pick-off for me at 2-1 to go with Man City at 11-4 at Bayern.