Worcester have made the unusual and intriguing decision to appoint the former Premier League manager Ian Holloway as their new kicking coach, but not all is as it seems.
The Premiership side made the announcement as an April Fool’s joke, at least that’s what we must assume, as Holloway has zero experience with the oval ball but is well-known for his cheeky nature, so is naturally more than happy to throw a dummy to supporters.
“I’ve watched a lot of rugby and always thought I’d be able to help with the kicking side of the game so when the opportunity arose to join Warriors, I jumped at the chance,” Holloway joked. “There are a lot of similarities between rugby and football and I believe a clever kicking game can really help a side in open play so that will be a big focus of mine.
“There are some really talented players at the club and I’m looking forward to getting started in the summer.”
🗓️ We hope you enjoyed our #AprilFools joke!
— Worcester Warriors ⚔️ (@WorcsWarriors) April 1, 2019
Fingers crossed we do see a rabona conversion one day... pic.twitter.com/WFbZWrRvR0
In Holloway’s natural habitat, Premier League teams Watford and Fulham both came up with the idea of kit adjustments to see if they could get fans on board with their quirky ideas. The Hornets “confirmed” their new kit for next season following reported (fictional) leaks of the vibrant ensemble.
The lattice design on the shirts includes four colours: yellow, red, black and white, which would have been a bold statement at the best of times, even if it is a joke. White shorts are incorporated, too, in order to end the fan debate between whether the club should wear red or black around their midriff.
“Vividly using the club’s primary three colours, a striking lattice design pays homage to what will be the Golden Boys’ 13th season in the top-flight, with each coloured diamond representing an individual campaign throughout our history,” the statement claimed.
“The shirt has been created using a revolutionary meshed fibre that regulates body temperature and controls sweating, meaning each player need only worry about their performance on the pitch. Lightweight and machine washable, the strip fully embodies the club’s values of empowerment, togetherness and diversity in stunning fashion.”
A slightly lighter touch was offered by Fulham, who created the concept of all team shirts having double-digit squad numbers, meaning Ryan Sessegnon would wear ‘03’ on his back from now on, for example. It is probably an idea which has been debate at clubs in order to add a couple more quid to the cost of shirts.