WHILE the Radio Suffolk phone-in was once again heaving with Blues' supporters calling for Joe Royle to be sacked, QPR boss Ian Holloway was praising his mentor.

By Derek Davis

WHILE the Radio Suffolk phone-in was once again heaving with Blues' supporters calling for Joe Royle to be sacked, QPR boss Ian Holloway was praising his mentor.

Holloway often contacts Royle for a chat and advice and rates him very highly.

He said: “Joe is one of the nicest men in football. When I get down from time to time, I look at that man and think some parts of this football game are warped and twisted - even corrupt - but, for us footballers, Joe is someone you want to play for.

“He is honest, straight and absolutely fantastic. This club is a beautiful place and, for me to take four points out of six from Ipswich this year, makes me quite chuffed.”

Holloway said: “It was a cracking game but a bit too end-to-end for my liking.

“Although my boys did a lot of things much better than they have of late even so, every time Joe's boys looked like they were going to cross the ball I got through a few pair of strides because I was very nervous about them heading one in.

“I was not surprised that they got both goals from headers because we could not defend our honour at the moment when the ball is coming in from wide.

“That said, we still had a couple of breakaway chances at 2-1 when we could have, and should have, finished the game.

“Some of my lads feel as if they have lost the game because it was very disappointing for us.”

Holloway also leapt to the defence of striker Paul Furlong, who was accused of stamping on keeper Lewis Price's head, leaving him needing three stitches.

“Paul jumped and was trying to get out of the way. He is a very aggressive player but certainly not a cheat.

“If someone's head is there he will try and avoid it.”

The win took Rangers, who beat Ipswich at Loftus Road in August, up to 13th place.