AS they headed for Merseyside for today's Division Two match, Grimsby Town players may well have been uncomfortably aware of their manager's comments as reported in today's Grimsby Telegraph.
He is quoted as saying: "I don't need as huge a squad as I've got, so I'll have to cull that coming up to January."
"Anybody I don't like, I haven't used or haven't done as well as I want, I can move them on, and that's what's going to be happening over the next couple of weeks."
Did Ian Holloway make this stark utterance in order to spark a positive response?
If so, it backfired spectacularly - the Mariners were on the wrong end of a 5-0 drubbing from Tranmere Rovers, a team whose previous results this season have not been much better than their own.
Sad to say, the optimism that greeted Ollie's arrival seems now to have all but evaporated.
During his short time here, he has spoken many kind words about the area and the traditions of the club, but all to little avail when on-field results are so poor.
A malaise seems to have settled over Blundell Park.
With huge experience of management at all levels, Ollie knows tactics inside out and is a shrewd judge of players.
But motivation does not seem to be his strongest card - at least on recent showings.
Earlier in the month, there was unfortunate publicity following a spat with Sean Scannell, one of his star close-season signings.
Are there other troubles in the camp?
Here's hoping not.
Town and Ollie urgently need a couple of wins to halt the downward spiral.
The Mariners' next match - away to Crawley Town at 7pm on Tuesday - is surely the most important of the season so far.
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