Ian Holloway knows exactly what he's doing with odd Swindon Town claims | OneFootball

He's barely been at the Robins a month, yet the larger-than-life Bristolian is making strange remarks already. But there is a method to the madness.

Football fans love a cult hero, whether on the pitch or in the dugout. Because of this, many at Swindon Town were rejoicing when Ian Holloway was appointed in October.

The eccentric Bristolian's new role at the County Ground is his first in almost three years, following his resignation from Grimsby Town in December 2020 after a whirlwind year as Mariners boss.

Holloway is famous among EFL fans for his hilarious quotes and antics. He immediately hit top form at the Robins, unofficially coaching the team from the sidelines (despite not technically being in the role yet) in their 1-1 draw with Gillingham at the end of October.

His latest soundbite came during an interview, where he claimed a haunted training ground was playing a role in the club's recent injuries. Although it may seem absurd at first, this is nothing supernatural in the Holloway playbook.

Holloway's "haunted training ground" comments

It took barely a month of Holloway being back in managerial action before he, once again, hit the headlines for a bizarre quote.

According to MailSport, the Robins' manager told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "I'm going to try and cleanse the training ground area because people are telling me it's haunted - I'm not joking."

He went on to say he believed the club's Beversbrook training ground is located near a cemetery, and he would ask his wife to "come up and say sorry to all these people" to help give the Robins more luck at keeping players off the treatment table.

Swindon know Holloway's approach is all too familiar

Despite the impression he tends to give off in his press conferences, Holloway is a smart man when it comes to football. You only need to look at his managerial record to see this. A near-30-year career managing nine clubs, which itself supplements a two-decade playing history, shows Holloway is a veteran of English football who has the knowledge and experience the game needs.

His attitude towards seemingly bonkers quotes is, therefore, a credit to his footballing intellect and comparable to those involved in the Monty Python comedy troupe. They were all well-educated men who created famous sketches that were so silly. On the surface, the comedy seemed simple, but in reality, it had the brainpower of Oxbridge alumni behind it.

Although Holloway has never graced the corridors of England's finest educational establishments, his approach echoes the Python method. By blaming his notable injury list on a haunted training ground, suddenly the talk around the team ceases and the pressure is off. It's the ultimate distraction tactic because everyone is laughing at the silly thing he's said while failing to realise just how smart the tactic is.

What's more, it's one that Holloway has deployed for years.

For instance, MailSport reports that when responding to criticism of playing with a defensive midfield once, he said: "It's all very well having a great pianist but it's no good if you haven't got anyone to get the piano on the stage in the first place.

"Otherwise the pianist would be standing there with no bloody piano to play!"

Swindon fans will be hoping Holloway's Python-esque method will be the unlikely catalyst needed to kickstart their season.

At the time of writing, with the Robins without a league win since the middle of October and the club staring down the barrel of a relegation scrap towards the end of the season, perhaps it is time for an out-of-the-box solution to help inspire results on the pitch.

The Bristolian doesn't get enough credit for his remarks, which may seem odd at first. However, they're often more than just eccentric soundbites and Robins fans will be hoping Holloway's tried-and-tested tactic can inspire an improvement in both performances and morale around the club.