Dear Roy,
Happy New Year! I hope you’re taking it easy. You’ve been so wound up lately, especially by journalists you regard as ‘disrespectful’ to you.
You Were Right!
Your career record absolutely is a one-off, and it may never be matched. To every true football fan, your knowledge, understanding and experience of the game and its players are all eye popping. Plus, every week you break longevity records. The journalists, by contrast, the ones annoying you with their questions, in your eyes they’ve not been here five minutes, and you very likely still recall talking football with their predecessor’s predecessor.
But You’re Being Stubborn
Your doggedness may be understandable, but it’s not helping the people who matter most. Us, the fans. Like us, you worry lots about Palace, the club’s well being and the results.
After the win over Brentford, we fans would’ve really savoured the media coverage of a Palace win in a must-win game and Michael Olise’s amazing performance. Instead, Palace fans faced headlines screaming ‘disrespectful’. It was all about you, not the players, and you know that’s wrong – although it looks like your taste for a controversial soundbite might serve you well if you seek future work on radio and television.
Back to Palace though. Before you signed a very short-term contract, didn’t you think about the deeply negative impact any string of bad results would create? Well, it happened. We had no wins, just 3 points in 8 games, and Bob’s your uncle, pressure swiftly builds on Steve Parish to bring your Premier League farewell tour to a premature end.
It was inevitable. You must see that.
Your ‘disrespectful’ comment is misplaced. From now on, Roy, please can you drop all the ‘me’ stuff? Keep it Palace, eh? I say that, of course, with the utmost respect.
Time for Regret?
You recently criticised your young substitutes and then you walked it back. So I hope you take the same route again to walk back your ‘disrespectful’ diversion.
Here Comes The Elephant
I know you don’t want to, but we do have to mention the elephant in the room.
Julen Lopetegui, Steve Cooper, Steve Coppell, Steve McClaren, whoever Palace pick to replace you, it doesn’t affect you. As disappointing results piled up, were we not permitted to discuss your successor? Did The Queen get on her high horse every time anyone discussed her heir? Of course not!
Okay Isn’t Good Enough
Yes, we’ve only had Michael Olise and Ebere Eze on the pitch together for two whole games so far out of 20. Yes, we’ve had awful luck with injuries, but you said it in November:
“In this league, basically, all the time you’re ahead of the curve, i.e. you’ve got more points than games played, you’re doing okay.”
At this season’s halfway point, Palace had 18 points from 19 games. Not okay, Roy.
Your Standards Dropping?
Your ‘Way To Stay Up‘ appears to be founded on splitting results into two groups – results against the top half of the Premier League and results against the bottom half. Against top half teams, grab a point if you can and the odd win is very nice. Against bottom half teams, go for the win but make sure you don’t lose.
Your standards this season so far appear to have dropped.
Before this season started, you managed Palace for a total of 155 matches.
Top half teams provided opposition 79 times, and Palace got 66 points (including 17 wins), averaging 0.83 points per game. This season, that average is down to 0.60 points per game.
Bottom half teams were our opponents 76 times, giving Palace 132 points (including 37 wins), averaging 1.74 points per game. This season, that average is down to 1.50 points per game.
The Missing Ingredient
Palace have the players to do better, and our best players are bound to the club by long-term contracts. The kids seem to include some real potential stars. But one key ingredient is missing. A long-term plan.
With respect, Roy, even with your vast experience, you cannot provide a long-term plan. Because you won’t be here to carry it out. We need a man who can devise and implement a plan that develops our club and exploits the talent we have now, as well as the talent we will have soon.
What Now?
Nice, warm feelings from results have been rare and, with Palace’s future containing so many off-pitch uncertainties, Steve Parish has plenty on his plate.
Profits are evidently difficult to achieve, while tens of millions of unused investment sits next to untried kids on the bench week in, week out. The cost of the stand refurbishment looms larger than the stand itself, it’s reported the Doog and the Head of Sports Science are being headhunted, the ownership situation is tricky to say the least, and no fewer than eight first-team squad members are all out of contract in June (Joel Ward, Jeffrey Schlupp, Will Hughes, Nathaniel Clyne, James Tomkins, Jairo Riedewald, Nathan Ferguson and Remi Matthews).
As you know, these are just tips of the icebergs that are coming Steve’s way. In the next five months, he has to replace you, or extend your contract. But why would he prolong your tenure? Steve undoubtedly admires you, but – as you know – the facts are not working in your favour..
Beyond June
You seem to think you might carry on working beyond June, even if it’s not for Palace. Good on you Roy, you clearly don’t accept the only paying jobs available to most men your age are politician or bishop, and you’re breaking the mould. Again.
Most fans are still optimistic about Palace’s future despite 2023 TWICE giving us a string of results that will sometimes see clubs relegated. For you, I’m sure any relegation would be very disappointing, even annoying. But, for us fans, please bear in mind that if relegation happens, it may be catastrophic.
And please bear in mind, this season’s bad run was frankly little different to the bad run that got Patrick Vieira and his people fired. So come on, Roy, feel lucky! It’s time to build on the positive thinking that keeps us fans going. I believe you can do it, if you want.
Sir Roy Hodgson?
Finally, I’m surprised King Charles hasn’t yet given you a knighthood. For services to football. Sir Roy and Lady Sheila. That would be nice. And right.
Yours,
Jon Sayers
