MAnchester City striker Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring against Manchester United in October 2022.

Ian Holloway:

June 13, 2023 Sports 22 Views

Manchester City’s capture of Erling Haaland last season will surely go down as one of the all-time great transfer coups, after the Norwegian plundered a ridiculous 52 goals in all competitions as Pep Guardiola’s side sealed a historic treble.

The €60 million capture bagged 36 in 35 Premier League matches, breaking the single-season scoring record in the process. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez thrived with the 22 year old ahead of them. To whole world, Haaland and Man City have been a match made in heaven.

Yet former Blackpool boss Ian Holloway believes Haaland would have scored even more goals had he led the line in his old Tangerines team, whom he led to the English top-flight at the end of the 2009/10 season.

“I think he might have got about 45,” says Holloway, speaking on Lord Ping: Red or Black? “We did create some chances. We tried to carry on what we were doing in the Championship in the Premier League.”

Holloway’s side finished the 2010/11 Premier League campaign on 39 points, but were relegated after finishing 19th in the table after a highly-competitive relegation battle.

“I got something wrong at the end and kept two full backs wide all the time and if we should have just tucked on in during the second half of the season,” recounts Holloway. “My team were magnificent and did us proud.

“Every year since, we’d have stayed up and finished 15th this year with our 39 points. And people call me lucky!”