Jordan now slams ‘lazy’ decision Crystal Palace made last season
Crystal Palace are enduring another fairly mediocre season of performances and results, and Roy Hodgson has been criticised by fans in recent weeks.
Palace are currently playing a very unattractive style of football which has seen them score 13 goals in 13 games, and are 13th in the Premier League.
Hodgson returned in the second half of last season after Patrick Vieira was dismissed, and helped guide the club to safety, before extending his deal until the end of this season, but recent reports have claimed that the 76-year-old may face increased pressure if things do not improve, with Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper also linked.
Simon Jordan slams Crystal Palace decision over Hodgson
Speaking on talkSPORT, former Palace chairman Simon Jordan slammed the decision to bring Hodgson back, and subsequently keep him on for another season.
“It was a lazy decision to have put Roy Hodgson back in charge for another season,” he stated.
“It was a lazy decision. It was based upon Vieira going out the door, and all of a sudden Palace were playing a different brand of football in the eyes of certain parts of the fanbase, because they were more attacking, and they had the players on offer to be able to be so, so they played with a bit more flair than we normally associate with Roy Hodgson’s team.
“That then gave Roy Hodgson another year, albeit he wasn’t bothered about that year because he told us in an interview that he didn’t need to be knocking on anyone’s door to be given a contract, if they wanted him, they could come and speak to him.
“So here he is with a year. Palace are thirteenth in the league again.
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“As a former owner, and as somebody that supports this football club, I’m not entirely sure where we would expect Crystal Palace to be.
“They don’t spend very much money so we’re looking at a club that’s there, 13th in the league and that’s where I would expect Palace to be, around about mid-table.”
A lot of Palace fans may be able to accept being 13th, if there was a clear plan or long-term strategy in place, and a more pleasing style of football.
Whilst Hodgson did keep Palace up last season, there may be little to be accomplished this season.
Given the departure of Wilfried Zaha, and a lack of a replacement, Palace were destined to struggle in attack, but Hodgson’s style, as well as his lack of rotation and trust in younger talents such as Naouirou Ahamada or academy starlets, has highlighted the lack of ambition at the club to reach the next level as promised by Steve Parish, and the current mood of apathy amongst the fanbase will be difficult to lift.
