Holloway Praises Jackett

Holloway Sings Jackett Praises

Kenny Jackett’s former boss Ian Holloway has lavished praise on his former Number 2 as the new season approaches promising Swans fans that they will see "A well organised disciplined team" when the new season kicks off.

In an interview with the Wales on Sunday, Holloway said "Who knows if he learnt anything from me, you will have to ask Ken about that,

"But I certainly picked up plenty from him while we were working together.

"He’s been involved with plenty of promotions in his time and although it was us who went up last season, I can see myself ringing him for a few words of advice in the future.

"He knows the game inside out and has had nearly every role going at a football club from the bottom to the top.

"He’s been involved in matches and matches and promotions and promotions and has been on every course ever invented.

"Ken is organised and knows what he wants. I think he has a very good chance of getting it at Swansea.

"In my book it is only a matter of time before he becomes a success as a manager.

"He was a massive part of our promotion, I like to get my money’s worth out of my staff. I didn’t want to lose him when he joined Swansea and I think the board could have done more to keep hold of him.

"The timing was bad for us with six games left. It could have cost us but thankfully it didn’t.

"As people we both had our strengths and weaknesses but between us we had a decent partnership. His organisation was what I needed.

"I’m a little bit lacking in that department. I’m long on personality and short on organisation but Ken taught me a lot in that respect. He organises things with almost military precision.

"We always played off each other on the training ground. When the players were fed up with hearing Ken talk I would take over and vice-versa.

"In the past I always surrounded myself with mates but Ken was the first guy I worked closely with who I didn’t really know at the time.

"I would certainly call him a friend now though, big time.

"There aren’t many straight people in life that you can trust. He is a real rarity in football, 200 per cent bombproof.

"At the beginning though, when you don’t know someone really well, the egos start to rear up. I wanted to show Ken how good I was and he was doing the same. It worked well for us.

"Fans often demand that you play proper football, but what’s that?

"I’m at a club where the fans are purists when it comes to the style of football we play.

"But you tell me if it’s great football to watch when you lose your top-flight status and fall down the league.

"There is only one type of football and that is winning football.

"As a manager you evolve in your thinking and it is important not to say you will only go at it in one way.

"Hopefully, when I am long gone from QPR I will still have left my mark on the club and I am sure Ken will do the same at Swansea.

"Swansea fans will see a well-organised, disciplined team under Ken. It will be incredibly efficient and hard to break down but I will be very surprised if they don’t start winning.

"You need some luck in this game but he sees Swansea as his big chance to establish himself as a manager.

"They have a new stadium and a chairman hoping to take them forward, and if I know Ken as I think I do he will make it work."

And for all our sakes, let’s hope that Holloway is right?

Why not check out the latest Vetch Verdict on the BBC site?