With the sale of Maxence Lacroix to Chelsea, there is a concern about lack of leadership heading into the start of the season.
Presumably, Dean Henderson will continue to wear the armband, and rightly so in my
opinion. However, there is a leadership void to fill further up the pitch. Past captains such as Paddy McCarthy, Mile Jedinak and Luka Milivojević all presence about them. They were the kind of players who rolled up their sleeves, gritted their teeth and led by example.
Some may argue that Palace can be a little too soft when it comes to standing their ground over referees’ decisions. Yes, players understandably do not want to receive a yellow card for dissent, but when you see other teams consistently putting officials under pressure, it does make you wonder why we don’t do it more often.
Looking at the current squad, the only player who really seems to possess that kind of aura is Will Hughes. However, with his starting opportunities potentially limited, it is difficult to identify another natural leader in the team. You could make a case for Jefferson Lerma, but he too may find starts harder to come by if Pierre Sage continues with the Daichi Kamada and Adam Wharton midfield partnership.
Dean Henderson feels like he has been with us forever and has cemented his place in Palace history by playing a pivotal role in our three trophy victories. He understands what it means to ‘Be Palace’, and that is why I believe he will continue to wear the armband.
Before Sage’s appointment, I made a post on social media hoping that Paddy McCarthy would remain part of the new regime, and thankfully he has. I believe this will play an important role in helping to embed the Palace DNA into the new manager’s setup. Let’s not forget the passion Paddy continues to show for the club from the touchline, including almost getting involved in a bust-up during the FA Cup Final.
Of course, we never truly know what goes on at the training ground. There may well be players demonstrating the leadership qualities that the new manager is looking for. It will certainly be interesting to see what the season brings. With the increased quality of opposition that comes with competing in the Europa League, we will need eleven leaders on those European nights if we are to succeed in the pursuit of another trophy.
With the season fast approaching, all that matters now is that the team selected gives everything on the pitch. No doubt, in true Palace fashion, there will be plenty of highs and lows.
All we can do is back the boys and, as a famous voice bellowed out before kick-off:
“Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Palace.”
