Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish provided a very welcome update heading into the festive period.
He began with an update on the renovations at Selhurst Park with what seems like the finishing touches to the plans for the Man Stand with a nod towards sports stadia in the US and even those seen at the recent World Cup in Dubai. However, he was very keen to stress the upheaval for local residents and the priority at the moment by helping them with new accomodation. Steve did go on to say that it is a very exciting time for the club, as we are sure everyone will agree.
It has been quite a different season and the club made the most of the break with a team building trip to take on friendly opposition, but Parish was keen to stress that nothing compares with the intensity of the Premier League particularly with a very busy schedule until the end of the season.
The purchase of French club Lyon by John Textor was touched on as that has been quite an air of contention by Palace fans, particularly on social media. Parish made things very clear where Palace stand with Eagle Football and the clarity on that was very welcome. Textor and Eagle Holding include nine football clubs and such relationships will be very valuable but none of it changes anything for Crystal Palace Football Club.
On the imminent January transfer window, Parish was clear that the club are in a good space at the moment and any business would likely be loans as the main additions would be made in the summer. There are a few options out there for the club which they are pursuing but the deal has to be right, as has always been the case. Such a window after the World Cup can be a dangerous place so there is a element of needing to be more careful.
Progress at the academy continues and Parish mentioned his pleasure at seeing players doing well on loan and slowly seeing a path to the first team with a number of the youth players in and around the first team in recent months. Additional work at the academy is taking place currently to improve the medical side of things which is progressing at their own pace, but will provide medical rehabilitation facilities and more for the players.
You can here everything that Steve said in the conversation on the official club website.
