Ollie: Adam set for summer switch

Ollie: Adam set for summer switch

Published Feb. 1, 2011 3:55 p.m. ET

Ian Holloway expects captain Charlie Adam to leave Blackpool in the summer, but is sure he will remain committed and professional until then.

Seasiders midfielder Adam - a target for Liverpool and Tottenham, and reportedly Manchester United as well - failed to secure a move from Bloomfield Road on Monday.

Holloway has warned all his squad they will be dropped in an instant if he senses any of them lacking motivation.

Adam handed in a transfer request last week after learning of Liverpool's interest, but the Reds had three bids turned down and even a cheeky offer from Spurs failed at the last minute.

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Holloway insists he does not have an issue with the 25-year-old wanting to move to a bigger club - and has pledged to do everything to make it happen - but he did not want him to leave midway through the Seasiders' first season in the top flight for four decades.

Adam will lead the side out for Tuesday's Premier League match at home to West Ham and Holloway expects the Scotland international to maintain the high standards which got him noticed by Liverpool in the first place.

"Charlie's been fantastic for us and he can feel however he feels, but he is still professional," Holloway said.

"He has to deal with the fact he has at least another 15 games to get us at least another four wins and then wait and see what happens in the summer.

"I would love him to go to a club he wants to when the time is right. I have no doubts he will get where he wants to be eventually, but I didn't understand the timing or his impatience.

"I believe he is getting better all the time and without a shadow of a doubt in the summer it will be impossible to hang on to him. But for now everything can go back to being about the football because we've an awful lot of work to do, we've got to improve.

"I'll have to see how people are (ahead of West Ham's visit), whether they are motivated or not. But I strongly recommend to anyone who pulls on a Blackpool shirt that they better remember that or I won't pick them."

Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston steadfastly refused to sell Adam unless he received an offer impossible to turn down.

And with the midfielder still having 18 months to run on his contract, Oyston was able to do that as he believes hanging onto Adam for another five months gives them the best chance of safeguarding their Premier League survival.

Holloway said it was Adam's contract, ironically, which had contributed to him not getting a move.

"Charlie told me why he put in a transfer request but that's private and personal, although I can't say I can argue with him," Holloway added.

"But the whole fact of it is the length of contact he has with the club determines that the chairman can say and do what he likes and Charlie has no choice.

"It is a shame for him he has the length of contract he has, but it gave him security and he and his agent decided to sign it. Who would have thought in the course of time we would be in the Premier League with Liverpool wanting to buy him?

"But they would have had to have given us a lot more money before my chairman would have even dreamed of risking the £46million that he believes his family and the football club will get by keeping Charlie.

"So Charlie didn't have a choice unless Liverpool offered something the chairman would have accepted."

Adam has put aside his disappointment and spoken of his determination to continue his best efforts for the club.

"I'm still a Blackpool player and I want the fans to know I am totally committed to playing the best I can for the club," he said. "I will do my best to help us achieve the highest possible league finish."

Amid all the talk of Adam staying, Holloway actually brought in four players on deadline day, with Andy Reid joining from Sunderland on a short-term contract until the end of the season and Rangers' James Beattie, Southampton's Jason Puncheon and Zenit St Petersburg's Sergei Kornilenko all joining on loan.

The latter is still awaiting his work permit and Holloway will have to decide which, if any, are ready to go into the squad to face the Hammers.

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