Steve Parish, the Crystal Palace chairman, has strongly contemplated sacking Roy Hodgson after the record defeat against Brighton on Saturday but is struggling to find a replacement who is willing to take over at this stage of the season.
The former England manager has come under renewed pressure in the aftermath of the devastating 4-1 defeat that was Palace’s heaviest against their arch-rivals since a 5-0 loss in 1956.
It is understood that Parish – who was pictured at the Amex Stadium sitting alongside the loans manager, Mark Bright, and who sacked Patrick Vieira in March last year after a 1-0 loss against Brighton – has been sounding out potential replacements for the past few weeks as Hodgson’s struggles have mounted but is yet to commit to sacking the former England manager despite a disastrous run of just four wins in their past 17 league matches.
Hodgson is believed to have come close to being sacked after the 5-0 defeat by Arsenal last month that led to supporters unfurling banners criticising Parish and his other board members. Palace had a 10-day break after that game before they won 3-2 against Sheffield United in the Premier League and it is understood that was seen as an “opportunity missed” by those board members in favour of dispensing with the 76-year-old.
Steve Cooper – sacked by Nottingham Forest in December – and the former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui have been mooted as potential replacements but are believed to be reluctant to take over with so little time to prepare for a run of fixtures that includes Chelsea at Selhurst Park next Monday night before a trip to face Everton and home fixture against Burnley on successive weekends.
It is understood that the Palace chairman has not consulted the club’s biggest shareholder, John Textor, over Hodgson’s future since the Brighton defeat, with the pair believed to have not even spoken this week despite being active in the January transfer window. But the American, who also owns the French club Lyon as part of his group Eagle Football, is believed to have been in favour of Palace appointing a new manager for several weeks.
Hodgson has also been widely criticised for his decision to bring on Michael Olise as a half-time substitute when his side was already trailing 3-0 after the France Under-21 forward sustained his third hamstring injury of the season. He looks certain to join Eberechi Eze and the captain, Marc Guéhi, who picked up a knee injury against Brighton, on the treatment table for the foreseeable future.
Hodgson said after the Brighton defeat that he still has the appetite for the job despite already being the Premier League’s oldest ever manager. “Yes no problem with that at all,” he said. “I’m still very much behind the team and the players – I know they are doing their level best.”
Yesterday, the Palace supporters’ group Holmesdale Fanatics wrote on X: “Another disgraceful performance. No fight, no pride. Our club has become unrecognisable from everything we once stood for. Weak leadership at all levels is causing this and strangling the Palace identity and spirit. Fans deserve better.”
