Aston Villa chairman Dr Tony Xia slams pundit Ian Holloway in furious F-word Twitter rant
Holloway had predicted a 16th-place finish for Villa in the Championship next season and Xia was left fuming
DR TONY XIA has lashed out at Ian Holloway in a furious F-word Twitter rant.
The Aston Villa chairman spectacularly took exception to TV pundit Holloway predicting that Villa would finish 16th in the Championship next season.
And in a blast - which was later deleted - to his 20,000 followers, the Chinese chief let Holloway know exactly what he thought of him.
Xia tweeted: "A failed player, failed manager and now f***ed pundit. Don't bother reading at all!"
The Recon Group entrepreneur was responding to a message from user Matt Starling.
It read: "Holloway predicts 16th for #avfc with good reason. Desperately want Dr_Tony Xia to turn the club around but v.worried."
Holloway had earlier laid into Villa for their shambolic campaign last season as he explained his reasoning for predicting a 16th-place finish.
He told Sky Sports: "They're lucky I've put them this high.
"Last season Villa's players felt the weight of the shirt, but not the importance of it.
"They didn't respect the badge enough. I'm worried nothing will change.
Related stories
"They could easily get relegated again, with the lack of investment and the lack of unity within the playing squad.
"They've got Roberto Di Matteo, who is a wonderful man, but it's a huge job to carry that expectation.
"It's going to take something special to turn it around."
It is not the first time that Xia has created a storm on Twitter having been duped into paying a tribute to disgraced former star Jimmy Savile.
And his comments will be sure to irk the quick-witted Holloway, who has been out of management for almost 17 months since being fired as Millwall.