Nardiello Scores Winner - Holloway on Nardiello

Blackpool Gazette/Steve Canavan
Nardiello kick-starts Pool career

DANIEL Nardiello has finally got his Blackpool career up and running – and was immediately challenged to keep it going.
The striker has been almost permanently on the sidelines since signing from QPR last summer.

But Nardiello earned a start under Ian Holloway in last night's 2-1 Carling Cup victory at Crewe, where he gave his best performance for the club and scored a sublime winner 11 minutes from the end.

And after watching Nardiello secure the Seasiders' passage into round two, manager Holloway was full of praise for a player who has had little to smile about since his move to Bloomfield Road.

"That game was a great opportunity for someone on the fringes to stake a claim and Danny did that," said the boss.

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"Long may it continue because I have no grudge against anybody. I haven't had throughout my football career and I'm not going to start now.

"I just want players to do what I tell them to do and Danny did it brilliantly, so well done to him.

"It's all about his workrate. It's about him forgetting what hasn't gone well and concentrating on what he does well.

"If he can do that with enthusiasm he'll be more than fine.

"I thought some of his runs were electric. Some of the things he sees are of a higher level.

"He has to try to reproduce that on a regular basis but if he gives me that effort I haven't got any problems.

"I know he can score goals. The question is whether he understands what the team needs, and works without the ball as well as with the ball.

"As long as he shows me the best things he's got, which is running at people, that's great. I've never seen anybody twist and turn like he does."If he can run at people and finish, then he can score and hurt teams."

Holloway was delighted to avoid an embarrassing defeat against lower league opposition and continues his unbeaten start as Pool boss.

The manager, who made seven changes from the side which drew at QPR on Saturday in order to rest senior players, added: "There were some very bright things out there and I am delighted to win a cup game after making so many changes," he added.

>> Crewe 1 Blackpool 2: Minute-by-minute

"The changes were no disrespect to Crewe but we are thinking about the league campaign.

"We have a very gruelling schedule and it is frightening. People think footballers are lazy and do nothing for their money. I'm sorry but it isn't like that at all when you're in it.

"We might have a nice weekend off once in a while because of an international break but then the League tells us we have to play three games in seven days, which is complete madness.

"But never mind, let's see what we can do against Cardiff on Saturday."

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