adminLONSON. — Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish can expect a rather loud knock at the door from manager Alan Pardew if the club deliver a top-10 Premier League finish this season.
Pardew, who took over as manager in January, has steered the club away from the bottom three and last weekend’s 4-1 victory over Sunderland ensured Palace have won 10 out of their last 15 matches in all competitions.
Palace’s rapid rise has taken them to 11th in the table on 42 points and they trail ninth-placed West Ham United and Stoke City, in 10th, by a point with six games remaining.
“The most important thing is to secure a top 10 finish, and it’s a realistic aim,” Pardew told a news conference yesterday.
“We’re in a terrific mood, in terms of confidence. We have great momentum. We’re more expansive now, we have a great attacking set up.
“Then we have to build on that. The chairman has done a fantastic job here and it will probably be a big challenge for him in the summer.
“I will be banging his door down about some big signings to come to Palace, and he has to do what’s right – for Crystal Palace – and what’s right for me.”
Former Palace manager Tony Pulis brings his 14th-placed West Bromwich Albion side to Selhurst Park today.
Pulis, who guided the club away from the relegation zone last season and to an 11th-place finish, quit two days before the start of the campaign but Pardew believes he will receive a warm reception from the home fans.
“Tony’s return adds an extra dimension in so much as he achieved fantastic results here last season,” Pardew said.
“I wouldn’t be here and a lot of these players wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t done that, so we are thankful to him.
“He should also be thankful that we are in the position we are in.
“The reception tomorrow could have been very different if we were in the relegation zone with him leaving so shortly before the season started.” — Reuters.
Online Reporter