Chris Sutton has claimed that Steve Parish and Roy Hodgson ‘deserve a lot more respect’ from Crystal Palace supporters.
Following the Eagles’ recent 5-0 defeat to Arsenal, away fans unveiled a banner criticizing the club for their decision-making in recent years.
The banner read: ‘Wasted potential on and off the pitch, weak decisions that set us back.’
Palace have started drawing up a shortlist of managers to replace Hodgson, whose role as head coach is under further scrutiny following the thrashing at Arsenal.
And while their thrashing at the Emirates will not have helped Hodgson or Parish’s cause, It’s All Kicking Off co-host Sutton insisted Palace fans should be grateful.
Chris Sutton has claimed Roy Hodgson ‘deserves a lot more respect’ from Crystal Palace supporters
Eagles fans expressed their frustrations with the club via a banner during their match against Arsenal
Chris Sutton, co-host of It’s All Kicking Off, said Palace supporters should be grateful
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About the final episode he said: ‘Football fans want everything, don’t they? And they want it now. I mean, it’s a common expression that football fans should be careful what they wish for.
‘You know those banners were an attack on Roy Hodgson and their attack on Steve Parish and the board, right?
‘But you actually look at Crystal Palace as a club, over the last ten years, believe it or not, Palace fans may think that the football has been quite boring and quite boring and there’s no ambition, but it’s the most successful period been. as far as I can see in the history of the club.
“If you go back to the early 1970s, they had four years in the top flight. I don’t remember the early 70’s, I was just born then. But I do remember Palace reaching the FA Cup final in the late 80s and eventually losing in a replay. They finished third in their Premier League in 1991, I think it was under Steve Coppell and this was the era of Ian Wright and Mark Bright.
‘Then they were relegated and became a bit of a yo-yo club. They were relegated again in 97-98 and it took them six years to return to the Premier League and Simon Jordan was in charge at the time.
“They had another eight years in the Championship until 2013/14 and then they had this period of 10 years in the Premier League and I think that has been a real success.
‘And the problem, as far as I can see, is that Palace fans will look at other clubs, and there aren’t that many, but clubs like Brighton, and they will want Brighton football.
‘But what I would say to Crystal Palace fans is: in five years’ time, can they guarantee that Brighton and Brentford will be even further ahead of their club? And will their clubs be better managed than Crystal Palace? I’m not so sure they would be.
The Eagles seem ready for a new season of mid-table in the top class
Sutton argued that Steve Parish has run a ‘steady and steady ship’ at Selhurst Park
“What I would say, and this is a warning to Crystal Palace fans, is that you can look at Brighton and say, you know, they’re a fantastic model at the moment. I went to watch Norwich City this weekend, they beat West Bromwich Albion and they played quite well.
‘In the 10 years that Crystal Palace has been a stable Premier League club, Norwich City has gone up and down to the Championship, or up and down, I should say. I think they’ve been promoted four times and relegated four times. Every Norwich City fan would prefer a club like Crystal Palace to run.
‘Look at Leeds, look at Coventry, look at Sunderland, look at Middlesbrough, look at Blackburn Rovers, look at Swansea, look at Birmingham, look at Stoke, look at QPR, look at Sheffield Wednesday. Think about their struggles. Look at the likes of Derby and Charlton and the way their clubs have been run and gone.
‘So Palace, I really think their fans need to think about and show a lot more respect to their owner for running a steady and steady ship.
However, Sutton’s co-host Ian Ladyman said the Eagles were ‘on repeat’
Sutton claimed that teams like Norwich and West Brom would be better off if they were run like Palace
‘I think Steve Parrish, every season in the Premier League, thinks he’s being too cautious and just wants to survive. But perhaps success is survival for Crystal Palace.
‘So when Crystal Palace fans put up their banners they are wasting potential both on and off the pitch, poor decisions. Well, tell us what those weak decisions are!
‘Because Roy has a reputation for being pragmatic and you know what? He will keep them going again this season. So I think Steve Parrish and Roy Hodgson deserve a lot more respect than they got from Palace fans this weekend.”
Sutton’s co-host Ian Ladyman replied: ‘It’s a powerful argument. I understand that, but as I said before: clubs that don’t make progress are not actually doing anything. And that’s the problem here.
‘The last six seasons that Crystal Palace have had in the Premier League they have finished 11th, 12th, 14th, 12th and 11th. They always achieve between 43 and 49 points. So it’s the same every season, it’s on repeat.’
Sutton replied: “Clubs from a Premier League era who have had this incredible dream and ambition, who have thrown money into it, who are now, who have fallen away, who are struggling like crazy.
‘When has Palace ever, with the utmost respect to Palace, when has Palace ever had a winning, you know, a winning history? They are not Manchester United. I think you’re looking: their biggest success was third place in the old Division One. They won, you know, I looked at the cups they won.
“They have won the London Challenge Cup, the Surrey Senior Cup and the Kent Senior Shield. I mean, they have no history. So if you’ve had the best period in your club’s history, be careful what you wish for when you want to go wild in the transfer market.’