Freedman: ‘chokers turned champions.’

DOUGIE FREEDMAN can expect another hostile reception from Cardiff fans today after calling their heroes ‘chokers turned champions.’

Bolton boss Freedman suffered a fierce backlash in South Wales last year after claiming Malky Mackay’s men were ‘scared stiff of failure.’
That was when he was manager of Crystal Palace and playing mind games in the countdown to the second leg of his team’s Carling Cup semi-final against City. Cardiff’s supporters had the last laugh, singing ‘Dougie, Dougie we’re not scared’ as their side finished off Palace in a penalty shootout.

Freedman returns to Cardiff for the first time today, with his side in desperate need of points to stay in the play-off zone. He insisted last season’s remarks had been blown out of proportion — but sprinkled some barbs into complimentary remarks about City.

Freedman said: “Malky is a good guy and he’s my mate. And that club have had their tendencies to choke. Previous regimes have choked on the big occasions. Malky has turned that round — and not just him, the whole club and the fans have turned it round where they have the reputation not of choking, but of being an intimidating place.

“They are deserving champions. And it’s credit to my mate because he’s done it the right way. I would never disrespect him because he’s a good guy and a good coach. I’ll be the first to put a bottle of champagne in his hand — he has changed them from chokers to champions.”

It will not be just the Cardiff fans making sure Bolton don’t get an easy ride — Wanderers full-back Sam Ricketts knows his Wales team-mate Craig Bellamy will not allow the home team to relax.

Ricketts said: “When you play with Craig you can’t help but admire him. He’s dedicated to the max. He’s got that will to win and professionalism. You can see he demands the best out of the people around him. He’ll drive them on and if anyone is going to make sure that they don’t slip up, it’ll be him. He’s one of those players who you’d absolutely prefer to be in your team and not against you. You can’t rest when you’re playing against him because he’s maintained his speed. There’s never a chance to play out from the back with him around.”


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z2Rc81OiWs

Knew it. I like Dougie Has all the makings to become a good manager

Knew it. I like Dougie Has all the makings to become a good manager

Not as good as his mate Malky though, eh?

He's an ok manager, thinks he's big time when his biggest accolade is a win at Old Trafford and saving Palace from relegation a few seasons ago.

Hard working teams that have beaten us (twice) after we took the lead both times. So hopefully we can turn them over tomorrow.

Seems a nice bloke in all fairness and up for the craic. Some nice comments there as well. I hate Palace still though and now hes manager of Bolton hes easier to like.

he`s bottled it i cant wait for his song

He's a good manager but Palace choked the semis against us.

His mob last year wouldn't have had a hope last year against a full strength Liverpool side. His win at old Trafford was against their reserves! I'm glad we made a good go of it in the final.

DOUGIE FREEDMAN can expect another hostile reception from Cardiff fans today after calling their heroes ‘chokers turned champions.’

Bolton boss Freedman suffered a fierce backlash in South Wales last year after claiming Malky Mackay’s men were ‘scared stiff of failure.’
That was when he was manager of Crystal Palace and playing mind games in the countdown to the second leg of his team’s Carling Cup semi-final against City. Cardiff’s supporters had the last laugh, singing ‘Dougie, Dougie we’re not scared’ as their side finished off Palace in a penalty shootout.

Freedman returns to Cardiff for the first time today, with his side in desperate need of points to stay in the play-off zone. He insisted last season’s remarks had been blown out of proportion — but sprinkled some barbs into complimentary remarks about City.

Freedman said: “Malky is a good guy and he’s my mate. And that club have had their tendencies to choke. Previous regimes have choked on the big occasions. Malky has turned that round — and not just him, the whole club and the fans have turned it round where they have the reputation not of choking, but of being an intimidating place.

“They are deserving champions. And it’s credit to my mate because he’s done it the right way. I would never disrespect him because he’s a good guy and a good coach. I’ll be the first to put a bottle of champagne in his hand — he has changed them from chokers to champions.”

It will not be just the Cardiff fans making sure Bolton don’t get an easy ride — Wanderers full-back Sam Ricketts knows his Wales team-mate Craig Bellamy will not allow the home team to relax.

Ricketts said: “When you play with Craig you can’t help but admire him. He’s dedicated to the max. He’s got that will to win and professionalism. You can see he demands the best out of the people around him. He’ll drive them on and if anyone is going to make sure that they don’t slip up, it’ll be him. He’s one of those players who you’d absolutely prefer to be in your team and not against you. You can’t rest when you’re playing against him because he’s maintained his speed. There’s never a chance to play out from the back with him around.”


Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... z2Rc81OiWs

Fair enough however lets play like CHAMPIONS today and give them a nice hammering, and if Hull draw today what a game thats going to be next week |COME ON YOU BLUEBIRDS

Blues and REDS Today lets all have a good Time

Seems a nice bloke in all fairness and up for the craic. Some nice comments there as well. I hate Palace still though and now hes manager of Bolton hes easier to like.

Mind games again, he couldn't give a feck about us just trying to tke the sting out of the game and pressure off so he can get them through to the playoffs.....

What he wants is happy clappy fans celebrating, he is trying to stop the aggressive fans and we're not fecking scared.......

Don't fall for that loads od bollox.....

This choker of bottler tag is thrown around all too easily. Seems if you lose a big game you've bottled it. For me the only time we bottled games is the season we blew reaching the play offs (Preston debacle etc) and maybe the season we got done by reading. But then in the case of the latter we lost Bellamy and we just ran out of form at the wrong time.

Blackpool were the better side in the play off final, especially after we lost bothroyd, and last season we did incredibly well to even make the play offs. Our cup finals were us, a championship side, against a prem league side, one of which we only lost on pens.

So in many ways we have over achieved in recent seasons, yet because we fall at the last hurdle it's bottling it? Nonsense!

This choker of bottler tag is thrown around all too easily. Seems if you lose a big game you've bottled it. For me the only time we bottled games is the season we blew reaching the play offs (Preston debacle etc) and maybe the season we got done by reading. But then in the case of the latter we lost Bellamy and we just ran out of form at the wrong time.

Blackpool were the better side in the play off final, especially after we lost bothroyd, and last season we did incredibly well to even make the play offs. Our cup finals were us, a championship side, against a prem league side, one of which we only lost on pens.

So in many ways we have over achieved in recent seasons, yet because we fall at the last hurdle it's bottling it? Nonsense!

100% agree. Dougie's still getting it though!

This choker of bottler tag is thrown around all too easily. Seems if you lose a big game you've bottled it. For me the only time we bottled games is the season we blew reaching the play offs (Preston debacle etc) and maybe the season we got done by reading. But then in the case of the latter we lost Bellamy and we just ran out of form at the wrong time.

Blackpool were the better side in the play off final, especially after we lost bothroyd, and last season we did incredibly well to even make the play offs. Our cup finals were us, a championship side, against a prem league side, one of which we only lost on pens.

So in many ways we have over achieved in recent seasons, yet because we fall at the last hurdle it's bottling it? Nonsense!

Great post spot on

Seems a nice bloke in all fairness and up for the craic. Some nice comments there as well. I hate Palace still though and now hes manager of Bolton hes easier to like.

Mind games again, he couldn't give a feck about us just trying to tke the sting out of the game and pressure off so he can get them through to the playoffs.....

What he wants is happy clappy fans celebrating, he is trying to stop the aggressive fans and we're not fecking scared.......

Don't fall for that loads od bollox.....

How do you know im not playing mind games mate? Fergie in the making me.

Pretty sure if you added the points from Dougie's time at Palace and at Bolton this season, it would top our tally. Great manager.

Dougie's cheap shot mind games are not very clever and always backfire on him. Let's remind him of the chant from the Canton that made him wince in the Carling. "We're not f*cking scared". Looking forward to this lads.

Pretty sure if you added the points from Dougie's time at Palace and at Bolton this season, it would top our tally. Great manager.

Not true. We would still have more, by some way.