- Crystal Palace are reportedly considering who to appoint as their next manager
- Roy Hodgson is under pressure after poor form this season
- Neal Maupay should be ashamed of his behavior…who will he face this weekend? Listen to the It’s all Kicking Off podcast
Crystal Palace have identified former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper and England manager Gareth Southgate as potential long-term successors to Roy Hodgson, reports suggest.
Hodgson, 76, has had a difficult season in the dugout, which started well but has since faded as Palace fell to within five points of the relegation zone following recent thrashings against Arsenal and Brighton.
A win against Chelsea at Selhurst Park on Monday night could allay some of the dissatisfaction from sections of the club’s fanbase who want to see Hodgson replaced and Palace have started identifying potential successors, as reported by The sun.
Cooper has been out of work since being sacked by Nottingham Forest in December and replaced by ex-Wolves and Tottenham head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
However, he is expected to remain in the Premier League and is a viable long-term option being considered at Palace, with the club keen to avoid bringing in another manager for just a short period of time.
According to reports, Crystal Palace have started the search for replacements for Roy Hodgson
Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper is among the names being considered
Palace could also look to bring England manager Gareth Southgate to the club
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The 44-year-old is admired by Palace chairman Steve Parish, although the club would rather wait until the summer to appoint a new head coach than mid-season.
England manager Southgate is also being considered but is seen as a more unrealistic appointment given his commitment to the national team.
He could become available after this year’s European Championship in Germany and was previously touted for a spell in the Premier League, with his only other club management experience coming at Middlesbrough.
However, the FA are keen to try and extend his stay in charge of the Three Lions regardless of England’s performance in the upcoming major tournament.
Palace have also had a long-standing interest in Portuguese head coach Paulo Fonseca and were previously interested in bringing him to Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace are currently just five points above the Premier League relegation zone
Lille boss Paulo Fonseca is another candidate being considered at Selhurst Park
Fonseca is currently in charge of French side Lille after joining the club two years ago and has been tipped to leave the team at the end of the season if a vacancy becomes available in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Palace supporters are likely to express their frustration again on Monday evening as calls for an immediate change in the dugout continue to grow.
Hodgson returned to Palace last season and completed his task of steering the club out of relegation, and did so in impressive fashion.
However, there has been public frustration this season from parts of the team’s fanbase after Hodgson extended his stay at the club in the summer for the current campaign.