Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has admitted that he is glad to be facing Watford boss Gianfranco Zola from the sidelines and not on the pitch on Monday.
The two sides meet in the Championship playoff final at Wembley on Monday, with the opposing chiefs enduring rather different footballing careers.
Holloway, known for his no-nonsense style of play, admits that he was miles away from being anywhere near as good as Zola during their playing days.
"Differing careers is an understatement," said Holloway. "When have I ever scored a backheel at the near post? I'm not on the same page as a footballer, not in a million years. But we're both managers now. I don't know him that well but I have the utmost respect for him, he is so dignified, polite and nice.
"The way he played the game was the right way, so entertaining, and yet he is so humble you wouldn't know how good he was, there's not one air of conceitedness. That's why I'm delighted and honoured to be taking my team to face his because they play the way he did. I'm altogether more competitive, I had to compete because I wasn't as good as him so I had to work blooming hard.
"If anyone changed the course of Premier League football he has to be looked at, he was one of the early imports who changed the mindset of kids. They all wanted to do the flicks and turns, they wanted to be Zola. He should be immensely proud of that."
Palace face Watford at Wembley at 3pm.
Matt Cotton
