Ex-Blackpool boss Ian Holloway reveals big plans for the future - and returning to management is only one of them

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Blackpool was the 56-year-old’s fifth job in management. In 2012 he moved on to Crystal Palace, then Millwall and a second stint in charge of Queens Park Rangers.

Without a club since May last year, Holloway spoke about the prospects of a return.

“I will take another job tomorrow if I could find a club with the right relationship with the owner,” he said.

“It wouldn’t bother me where it was as long as I got on with the owner and I could make sure they were on the same page as me.

“I’m going to be very careful about that in future.

“I had an interview with Swansea last summer and I didn’t get it but I forever live in hope.

“In the meantime, I’m learning some new things and I’m in the gym every day trying to do body-building.

“I want to learn the saxophone, so I’ve got to learn music first.

“I want to learn how to paint. I can draw but I can’t paint very well, so I want to learn how to do that.

“I’m improving all the time. Every day I see my grandchildren and I love every minute of it.”

Of course the ebullient Holloway will never be completely outside the game and remains in demand as a pundit and football personality.

It means he remains very much in touch with the sport and casts an expert eye over other managers.

And one has certainly earns his praise.

Holloway added: “There are other people playing the way we did at Blackpool and doing it even better than I did – just look at Chris Wilder at Sheffield United.

“The bloke is magnificent and he’s even got one of my old players in Chris Basham.

“I struggled to get him in my team on a regular basis but Chris has moulded him into the perfect right-sided centre-back who is allowed to go outside his wing-back.

“It’s amazing, so well done to Chris Wilder.

“Don’t forget John Fleck at Sheffield United as well. He also struggled to get in my team at Blackpool (during a loan spell from Rangers in 2012) but he’s done brilliantly for them.”

Reflecting on Blackpool and the rest of his career, Holloway added: “I’m very proud for a lot of reasons. I’m proud of those boys who helped me to enjoy my life, who helped us to have some days in the sun.

“It was brilliant, all of it.”