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Ollie praises wanted Barker
SHAUN Barker has been praised for his "excellent attitude" since returning to training.
But Pool had better brace themselves – Derby have announced they're about to make an increased offer for the defender.
The long-running saga is set to step up a notch next week, with Derby prepared to try their luck again – and that could prompt Nottingham Forest, another with one eye on securing Barker's services, to get involved as well.
However, that's all conjecture – Holloway is simply delighted at the way Barker has put the distractions to the back of his mind and got on with the job in hand.
"Shaun needs to listen to me," said Holloway.
"He was fantastic in training, he is a fantastic lad – and you don't get them cheap and you don't get them easy.
"We've worked with him over the last few years to make him what he is now and he knows that.
"There is a great respect between me and between him, and him for the club.
"Somewhere along the line we are all going to benefit."
Asked if he was concerned Barker might not be happy to still be at Blackpool, the boss replied: "I don't need to be assured that Shaun's happy. He has signed a contract and put very, very simply, he belongs to us.
"He is a very professional lad and he is going to play well for us – and he needs to play well right now because we have actually shown our hand and said 'yes, you can have him for X amount'.
"Now they haven't come back with that and if they don't, Shaun will have to deal with that because the length of contract is the key.
"If he'd let his contract run out he'd have probably gone by now because we wouldn't have had the power."
Pool are believed to be willing to accept a bid of somewhere between 750,000 and 1m.
Derby know the exact figure being asked for, and the fact they are preparing to move back in with a new offer makes it seem likely the 26-year-old centre back will be on his way.
"We are still talking (to Blackpool) and, hopefully, we will be going back in the next few days," said Rams boss Nigel Clough.
"We made an offer which has been rejected so we are in the process of drawing up a fresh offer which will go in as soon as we can."
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 31 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 30 mph
Wind direction: North west
