Is this the calm before the storm?
The tranquil few moments of sensibility that will be spectacularly undone by an act of reckless abandonment down the line.
Crystal Palace find themselves in uncharted territory for what seems like the first time in an age. Pressing for a fifth win on the bounce following a spate of early transfer dealings, the managerial appointment included.
This stability is surely too good to be true?
Where are the frenzied press reports, with 25 of the Championship’s most illustrious names being ‘set for a move to Selhurst’, or the Chelsea reserve player that ‘Pardew is keeping tabs on’? We are used to a comedy of errors and a black one at that.
We are used to blind alleys and even blinder strikers. We are not used to this mature young Premier League adult that Crystal Palace seem to be embodying these days. What has become of the tearaway teenager, so used to picking utensils off the side of the street looking for a quick fix?
For a long time that seemed to be the case. The transfer window represented an endless web of failed transfer targets, indecision, and reluctance to spend and so on. So a lot of credit has to go to Steve Parish and CPFC2010 for the way they have managed to pick their relapsing teenager off the gutter and restoring decorum. This is not reference to the last minute rescue deal four and a half years ago, but the manner with which they seem to have adapted to the cut throat nature of the Premier League.
There can be no doubting that Steve Parish has always been PR savvy. Well versed in appearing in public, a regular and willing contributor to Sky Sports News or on TalkSport whenever something went wrong. Freedman, Holloway, Pulis. Parish was there, spinning his yarn in full crisis management mode, doing his best to deflect attention and protect his wounded child. A child that he has always viewed in a good light, and held the belief that the rough diamond under his tutelage would one day take shape as the smooth crystal we are witnessing now.
The nature with which Parish has helped rehabilitate the clubs image is so admirable. When fans expected a protracted managerial search in December, through a litany of unemployed and unemployable prospects, he went and got Pardew. He went and got Pardew in a professional manner too. When so many other clubs openly speak of targeting managers, passing cryptic notes to the press, Parish and co carried themselves excellently, identifying and landing their man in prompt fashion.
Refreshing too was his honesty in admitting his error in appointing Neil Warnock back in August. “In the maelstrom that was going on then, I probably wanted to get someone in too much” he remarked earlier this month. It certainly was a maelstrom following Pulis’ departure, as it had been on numerous occasions in the past, but with the arrival of Sanogo, Mutch, Ameobi, soon to be Pape Souare and of course Pardew all well before Jim White and his yellow brigade whip themselves into a maelstrom of their own, there’s a real identifiable maturity that has become clear.
That maturity very much transcends various levels of the club now: at boardroom level, on the coaching front, on the pitch and by the entrance gates. Palace fans are pinching themselves. Whereas the end of January in previous years signalled the beginning of a series of panic attacks, they can now sit back and rest easy. Transfer business is all but wrapped up, bar the finalisation of the deal for our new left back and potentially tracing over Wilf’s loan contract with permanent marker.
So let us revel in other clubs panic buys, as we prepare ourselves for an exciting new chapter in the club’s history free from the heart-attack inducing strain of deadline day. But what then is there to look forward to, you say?
Well there will be Queens Park Ranger’s comical attempts at seeing just how much money it takes to convince run of the mill misfits that relegation will be worth it, while Gus Poyet further alienates himself from Sunderland supporters as he continues to insult them at every opportunity. There is also the ongoing joy of witnessing panic stricken Hull City shed wheels and an assortment of other dead-weight accessories in their quest to prevent their dramatic slide towards what is in danger of becoming the inevitable.
But if you really want to brighten your day, have a glance on some Newcastle United Twitter feeds and forums as they come to terms with the appointment of John Carver as their manager, and reflect on how great it is to be above it all under the guidance of Super Al.
Is it over confidence? Maybe it is. Or is it just that Crystal Palace have put those wild and erratic days behind them, and through strong leadership have now given themselves every opportunity to do what is deemed impossible by the media and masses each year and mature into a Premier League force? Probably a bit of both.
There is nothing wrong with confidence if you have the tools to back it up. Especially when there is a growing belief that all the parts are finally piecing together.
