Ollie "belief is the key"

Last updated : 05 March 2004 By Mark O' Haire
Ian Holloway is urging supporters to 'believe' in a week that sees two home games, the first sealed by a last minute Jamie Cureton goal. The second is a repeat of the Play-Off Semi Final Second Leg in which Pual Furlongs goal sent QPR to the Millennium Stadium.

Speaking to QPR WORLD he spoke of his eagerness to improve on our meeting with the Latics in December.

He said "We are playing an Oldham side who we were beating 1-0 at half time and it should of been three, but we conceded two in the second half. You don't want to lose six points to a team if you are going for automatic promotion, so I am determined to get us the three."

Referring to his comments he made about some sections of the crowd on Tuesday night he said

"Our fans were tremendous again the other night, but it was just a few who spoil it. I'm the father of four kids and I know that encouragement works extremely well. If I'm negative to my kids I drag their confidence down. When you shout at a player, think! Would you speak to your kid that way? I don't think you would. You try to put it in a positive way."

"The few odd people who are shouting out things should be told to shut up by the other supporters. If you don't believe, don't come to the game. I don't want you negativity. I believe and the players believe. I believe in the squad I've got, I believe we have goals on the pitch and on the bench"

"Thank you to all the fans to what you have given us, don't stop now, keep going, you've got to believe and if the person next to you doesn't, give them a dig in the ribs from Ollie."

Ollie was also delighted with the spirit showed by members of his squad.

"The best thing about our win over Port Vale was that when Kevin McLeod and Tony Thorpe came off, they were the happiest people when the ball went in the back of the net. Something is happening here. Foget the 'I' and think of the 'WE'"

The Rs now have thirteen games to go and Ollie is relishing it.

"If we lose a game, don't worry, I think we are going to be good enough! Our strength and our will is stronger than ever. We've got goals in us and I know we are going to stop conceding them. I believe we are gonna do it. We are going to get our fingers burnt, but we need to be able to reach in and pull things out of the fire, that is what we did against Port Vale and that is what we did against Peterborough"

In a week that saw Plymouth lose their manager and Bristol City lose thier unbeaten run, Ollie summed up his feelings for the run-in.

"Each manager is on the back of a horse and I wouldn't want to be on any other horse for the ride."