Claim made on Ian Holloway potentially leaving Swindon Town - Plymouth Argyle have been tipped to poach him | OneFootball

Our fan pundit named Holloway as a potential Tom Cleverley replacement, but there may be some obstacles.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Earlier this week, Football League World's Plymouth Argyle fan pundit tipped Ian Holloway as a potential Tom Cleverley replacement for the Pilgrims.

Cleverley is having a tough time with Argyle, sitting in last place in League One with four losses on the bounce, naturally leading to talk of a parting of ways.

Our Argyle fan pundit, Luke Hodge, tipped Holloway as being a possible candidate to replace the under-pressure Plymouth boss, as his Home Park future looks increasingly likely to come to an end if results don't improve.

Meanwhile, Swindon Town are experiencing a markedly different season, currently second in League Two, level on points with league leaders Walsall.

We asked our Swindon fan pundit, Ciaran Daniel, whether he could see Holloway departing for a job higher up the EFL pyramid, to the likes of Plymouth.

Claim made on possibility for Ian Holloway to swap Swindon Town for Plymouth Argyle

Speaking to Football League World, Ciaran said: “I think Holloway, because of what he's done with Swindon and because he's a name, he'll always attract interest from higher up the EFL.

“I don't think he's likely to want to leave. I know he was linked with Blackpool earlier on in the season, and that would be too far for him to really consider.

“And I think even Plymouth would possibly be a little bit too far for him to consider, because he's obviously made a big, crucial thing that he lives four miles from the training ground at Swindon.”

Given Holloway is now 62, that could well be a decisive factor, having settled near Swindon.

In comparison, Plymouth is 159 miles away from Swindon, just under three hours by car, so taking up the job there would require him to up sticks.

Ian Holloway seems settled in Swindon

Ciaran continued: “He hasn't had to move his family, in particular his wife. Obviously, his children and grandchildren live in the West Country, Swindon, Bristol area, and he's made it quite clear, he quite likes that.

“He quite likes to be able to go from training to his son's house to go see his grandchildren, and that he hasn't had to move house, and his wife's very happy about that.

“Obviously, Plymouth is quite far still from Swindon. It is not exactly a daily commute. And it would mean going down there quite a lot. So, I think he wouldn't want to go too far, but it's obviously natural where he's doing so well with Swindon this season that he’s going to attract attention.

“And because of the name that he is, he's a well-known, well-established manager within the EFL, and at a higher level, you know, he's managed in the Premier League, managed in the Championship.

“He's been there and done it, so he's a good solid name that clubs will link to their vacancies.”

It’s clear that fans like Ciaran don’t feel much fear from links with the likes of Plymouth, with Holloway already having achieved plenty in his career, and therefore valuing geography over ambitions of climbing the ladder.

But one club he does have close ties with, both as a player and a manager, is Bristol Rovers, also based locally to his current home.

“In terms of realistic, he's not really going to go anywhere,” Ciaran said. “The only places he's really going to go is very close to the West Country.

“You could see maybe a Reading, but I think the only time we may see him leave Swindon is if there's genuine interest maybe for like the Bristol Rovers job, because obviously always said he may go back there.

“But at the minute, I think he's very committed to staying at Swindon. I don't think he wants to leave any time in the near future because I think it suits him well in terms of our location. The geography worked out well for us in this situation.

“So, I don't think he's got any plans to leave, and I think the only way he will leave is if it's maybe the Bristol Rovers job in a year or two.

“Or, obviously, it doesn't go too well, and he gets relieved of his duties, but I can't see that happening at any time in the near future either.

“I'm hoping it does stay for quite a few years because we could really do with the stability of the manager who's going to not just create a football team, but help create a football club and a football environment that's positive for coaches and players alike.”

Ian Holloway should remain at Swindon Town

Given his age and standing in the game, Holloway can be picky with the jobs he takes on and responds to.

That is clearly the case, given he took almost four years out of the game after leaving a relatively difficult spell with Grimsby Town in 2020, before pitching up with Swindon last year.

He has already achieved great things in management, working at the very top of the English pyramid, and while he’s still clearly ambitious and wants to achieve things in football, moving for a slightly elevated club seems to present more drawbacks than plus points at this stage.

That is ideal for Swindon, as they benefit from a top-class manager, with elite-level experience, who is much less likely to be poached than other head coaches.

The threat from Bristol Rovers remains, given his strong links and close proximity to the club, added to their current poor form, which could put incumbent boss Darrell Clarke under threat.

But with promotion potentially on the cards for Swindon, dropping that far down the same division, even considering Holloway's personal connections, seems to make little sense.

The potential Plymouth vacancy may cause some concern among Swindon fans, given his history with the club, but the Robins appear to be in a very strong position.