“Careful what you wish for,” was QPR boss Ian Holloway’s message to Mick McCarthy’s detractors after the Blues’ 3-0 defeat of his side at Portman Road on Saturday.

Having lamented his team’s second half collapse after conceding Luke Varney’s goal nine minutes after the break, which could have resulted in a defeat by a significantly bigger margin, Holloway turned his post-match press conference attention to the criticism his friend McCarthy has faced this season.

“I’ve got to go back and try and deal with how bad we were after we let the second goal in,” Holloway said following his second game back in charge at Loftus Road.

“But I’ll still remember what we were like before that and I’ll try and help them and I’ll stand there for them and I’ll be strong for them and at the end of the day they’re still the fundamental things.

“I’ve had about six training sessions since I’ve been here with all of them, I’ve had people away on international duty but we’ve got to be mentally tougher than that as a group because I’m pretty disappointed with the finish of this game and last week I wasn’t very happy with the finish of that game [the 2-1 home win against Norwich].

“But that is the vital thing. Can you all be as consistent as the teams at the top, and if not why not because everybody thinks they should be at the top of the table now, particularly here, don’t you?

“I would just like to remind all of you, where were you when Mick McCarthy first turned up?

“How short memories you have. With the greatest respect, it’s not the best thing to actually sell your best players all the time, is it?

“Seven points you had [when McCarthy took over in November 2012]. Never mind about going up, what about not going down, [never mind] about keeping building, what about selling? It doesn’t make sense for me, sorry. And he’s a good mate of mine.

“I’m only being realistic. Don’t bring your own woes and chuck it at someone, that’s how I feel, and ask why you keep having to sell all your best players all the time.

“You got someone from non-league [Tyrone Mings] , you sold him for about £8 million [to Bournemouth], is that what Mick wants to do, is it? Really? I doubt it. Would he like to keep them and keep working? I don’t know.

“Just have a bit of a thought sometimes, that’s all I’m saying and then you might get what you want for Christmas.

“I hope you don’t mind and I hope you don’t think I’m making a big story of it, all I’m trying to say is just sometimes have a little look where you were and have a little think about who you’re having a go at. That’s all I’m saying. Because some of us are alright. Some of us.”

Reflecting on his recent visits to Portman Road, he added: “I don’t like coming here now, that’s twice you’ve beaten me 3-0.”

When it was pointed out that at least the game hadn’t ended in a 5-0 defeat as Mick McCarthy’s second game in charge of Town and Holloway’s first as Crystal Palace boss had four years ago, he said: “It could have been. Believe it or not you had 58 per cent possession that day and we scored five goals.

“Three penalties we had that day, but they were all fouls,” he added with a wink.

Photo: Action Images

textbackup added 06:02 - Nov 28 I'm fed up of people not connected to this club telling the fans things like this, fck off and worry about your own team.
10

Benters added 06:05 - Nov 28 Ha ! Texty you make me laugh .
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Mick_Mills_Tache added 06:19 - Nov 28 Holloway, f**k off and mind your own business. Your job is to sort the mess that your club is in and not to stick your beak in at other clubs. Where were we 4 years ago? McCarthy had 2/3s of a season to save us. It's not like he saved us from relegation with 2 months to go. Holloway, another gobsh*te that lives in the past. As for selling the best players, that's what happens when you've been in the Championship for 16 years and you never look likely to escape upwards. You find a good player, they stay for a season or two and then a bigger club comes and takes them. It's football.

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battyblue added 06:25 - Nov 28 You are not here Holly so keep it out i like you as manager and did want you hear instead of McCarthy but you are not so stick to sorting QPR woes please. Mick McCarthy out asap.
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blue75 added 06:29 - Nov 28 What's next Mrs McCarthy telling us what a good job her husband did 4 yrs ago! Maybe we can reappoint Burley he did a good job 16 yrs ago!!!
6

Robbo1966 added 06:42 - Nov 28 Well said Mr Holloway, as usual some pathetic comments on here. Some of you are a disgrace, how you faceless people can insult players and staff every week is beyond belief.
23

DurhamTownFan added 07:10 - Nov 28 I agree with him really, and it's nice to see managers getting on instead of all the usually mind games. But we all keep saying: 4 years ago was 4 years ago. What about the here and now? Should supporters be happy finishing mid table every year? No we shouldn't. Look at how smaller sides like Bournemouth palace and Watford have established themselves in the PL: we should hope and even a little bit expect that we could join them

24

Dissboyitfc added 07:12 - Nov 28 Holloway mind your own business. Nothing to do with you! Some of us supporters want to see progress, a manager who wants to connect to the fans a manager who tries to understand the needs of a fan. Many of us want to see an effort in the cup,sadly wont happen, many of us want to see his undroppable mates given a spell on the bench! Many of us want to be entertained and enjoy what we used to look forward to all week, not the negative rubbish MM serves up with such deluded pride. MM out ASAP!

7

Currie10 added 07:32 - Nov 28 Absolutely be careful what you wish for. Durham - Bournemouth overspent massively when they went up and got a huge fine - if they hadn't they'd be the next Blackpool/ Bolton. Of course they got success and it worked but is it really worth gambling with the club? Watford had the same owner from Udinese and a Spanish club with all and sundry on loan. Difficult to compete! We honestly have no idea where we're going to end up this season, it's a mental league I haven't ever seen like this. 18 played, 5 off top 6, 6 off relegation. All I do know is when we lose, we'll get loads of Mick out going mental, yet when we win we'll get a lot less feedback on this site. Sums up the English mentality, moan moan moan.

17

Currie10 added 07:32 - Nov 28 Absolutely be careful what you wish for. Durham - Bournemouth overspent massively when they went up and got a huge fine - if they hadn't they'd be the next Blackpool/ Bolton. Of course they got success and it worked but is it really worth gambling with the club? Watford had the same owner from Udinese and a Spanish club with all and sundry on loan. Difficult to compete! We honestly have no idea where we're going to end up this season, it's a mental league I haven't ever seen like this. 18 played, 5 off top 6, 6 off relegation. All I do know is when we lose, we'll get loads of Mick out going mental, yet when we win we'll get a lot less feedback on this site. Sums up the English mentality, moan moan moan.

1

pegasus added 07:50 - Nov 28 OK. He talks the talk. But some astute comments, 'Can you all be as consistent as the teams at the top?'
3

backwiththeboysagain added 08:03 - Nov 28 Seems the village idiot can't keep his gob shut now he's back in management. Roll on Christmas when hopefully he's sacked
-18

bournemouthblue added 08:07 - Nov 28 I can't imagine Bourbe mouth would have gone under even if they hadn't gone up They may have been transfer embargoed but that's a doffered story It remains to be seen if Derby will suffer any punishment in January given they spent £26 million last season?
5

bournemouthblue added 08:08 - Nov 28 +Bournemouth (damn phone auto correct) They are owned by a Russian Billionaire after all
1

The_Romford_Blue added 08:10 - Nov 28 We'll he's spot on to be fair. Can we compete realistically whilst selling our best players that are found for peanuts by mick? No.
13

renard added 08:23 - Nov 28 To be fair to Olly, he's sticking up for his mate, and if you look beyond the whole mick-issue he's having a dig at Marcus Evans, and possibly the FA for allowing the money side of the game to become so unfair. It's a lot easier to shout mick out than Marcus out, because we're scared silly of what might happen if marcus pulls out. After the sales of mings and Murphy, should more transfer funds have been available, yes, so it's probably more realistic to question Marcus' ambition than mick. And that's coming from me, who's also a bit tired of mick and his defensive talk and nonsense at times, leaning towards mick out but not sure who's available and if he would be given cash to enhance the squad and perform better.

12

TR11BLU added 08:28 - Nov 28 Ha Ha Mick passed him that piece of paper before the interview. Dino out now
-5

blueblood66 added 08:39 - Nov 28 Mick is his mate, he told me that just before kick off when I joked about Mick. And he gave me a stare and said are you talking about my mate and he want impressed.
1

MattinLondon added 09:02 - Nov 28 Its not the results, its not the fact that we have to sell our best players, its the fact that the football on offer [in the main] tends to be dull and lacks any real sort of imagination.
8

KiwiTractor added 09:09 - Nov 28 Ollie Out
2

iaintaylorx added 09:09 - Nov 28 I agree to some extent and yes, maybe he did save us and give us fans a bit of excitement over a few years, but that isn't what it is all about. His arrogant comments after wins don't help, he never seems to actually want to change a losing team and he plays people out if position way too much - not to mention of footballing style!! We are still a big club and can attract a better manager than Mick. I said before, that 3-0 against QPR isn't going to change my view. I want to see us challenge for promotion every year and not settle for another season in the championship. I think we missed out on three decent managers by sticking by Mick, so he better change alot of fans views in the coming weeks! Gary Monk, Steve Bruve and Holloway would all have been good for this club in my opinion, but our faceless owner only cares about the money! We deserve so much better than what we are witnessing!!

6

brian_a_mul added 09:20 - Nov 28 Fair play Ollie, MM is one of the best football managers in the league. The club is lucky to have him and it is a far better place & more balanced squad than when he first took over. Rafa Benetiz and Chris Houghton would be ahead of him IMO.
2

Daz added 09:50 - Nov 28 Clearly he's saying what we know already. Give mick a break. Its the owner who sell players and won't invest in micks team.
5

prebsa added 09:54 - Nov 28 Sick of people saying careful what you wish for. Stop living in the past, greatful ofcourse for what Mick did then but we are in the now and we are on the decline, so after some careful consideration I wish he is gone!
7

Steelmonkey added 10:12 - Nov 28 One swallow doesn't make a summer.
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