Holloway tells Adam suitors to get serious

BLACKPOOL manager Ian Holloway has nothing but praise for Charlie Adam as top clubs continue to court the former Rangers midfielder.

Holloway confirmed after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat by Sunderland that the Tangerines had rejected three bids for his services from Aston Villa, Birmingham and Liverpool.

It would be enough to turn many a player’s head but Adam remained influential and scored a late consolation goal from the penalty spot after Nedum Onuoha had nudged David Vaughan.

Holloway said: “When I got Charlie he was a very frustrated young man and now he is looking a fantastic footballer.

“You saw [against Sunderland] he was totally focused on playing as well as he can. He is doing himself, his family and our club proud.

“He wins headers, he sets the tempo of our play and has an unbelievable range of passing.

“Charlie by the end of the season is going to be one hell of a player. He is still improving.”

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is keen to take Adam to Anfield and Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston said they had posted a £4 million (€4.7m) bid, which Holloway branded as “disgraceful”.

Oyston told BBC Radio Lancashire: “We received a verbal bid of £4m [from Liverpool] for Charlie on Friday, but it doesn’t change the situation.

“He’s still a player who is under contract with Blackpool and Liverpool’s offer only matches previous offers we have recently turned down from Aston Villa.”

Holloway said: “I was thinking about Liverpool and Charlie. I thought ‘fantastic, what a great club for him to go to’, and then when I heard the bid I thought it was disgraceful.

“What they offered is about the price Charlie would have been worth when Kenny was last playing.

“Is it a destabilising tactic from the three clubs — Birmingham, Aston Villa and now Liverpool? I don’t know. They had better start by putting a figure one in front of the complete rubbish they have been offering so far.”

In contrast to Holloway, his opposite number Steve Bruce was all smiles at the end of a difficult week that saw striker Darren Bent depart for Aston Villa.

Kieran Richardson steered them to victory with his first goals of the season, cool finishes in the 15th and 35th minutes.

Bruce said they were in discussions with Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller but emphasised: “Everyone thinks we have a sackful of cash but one thing I won’t do is anything stupid.

“We will try to add to the squad but at the moment it is fair to say certain chief executives and managers are trying to take our pants down. We are doing okay. If you are sixth top of the Premier League you must be doing something right as it is the biggest and best league in the world.”

Blackpool could certainly do with Adam in the remaining months as they might yet be dragged into a relegation battle after their fourth defeat in five league games.

Next up are Manchester United at Bloomfield Road tomorrow and Alex Ferguson’s side are yet to taste defeat in the league.

Holloway said: “You have to take your chances at this level but in the second half I was bursting with pride. We threw the kitchen sink at Sunderland and we managed to win 1-0.”

He will monitor the fitness of goalkeeper Richard Kingson, who came off with a cut head, ahead of the United game, as well as full-back Stephen Crainey, who limped off minutes before Kingson.