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View from the PALACE all is not well it seems....
- Thread starter Tony Meolas Loan Spell
- Start date
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
- Thread starter
- #2
I want [MENTION=24994]Seaside[/MENTION] NOW
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
- Thread starter
- #3
Earlier this evening someone posted something on a blog which caused a bit of fuss. So here it is from our friends over at Google which like to take screenshots from websites…
(And Another Thing)
“Dougie Freedman was a great player. An intelligent, deadly striker who scored many crucial goals for Crystal Palace Football Club. The brace against Wolves at the death of the play-off semi-final having been on the pitch for 17 minutes; his 11-minute hat-trick against Grimsby; his goals against arch rivals Brighton and of course, his winner at Stockport. There were over 100 occasions, in fact, where goalkeepers had to retrieve the ball from their net due to Freedman’s antics in the Palace shirt.
His best years were at Palace. When shipped out on loan, most notably to Leeds, he did not want to go. His preference, as ever, was to stay and compete for a place in the starting line-up.
In his autobiography, Simon Jordan recalls an instance during Peter Taylor’s stint in the Palace hot-seat where a disgruntled Freedman came to see him in his office, complaining about training methods and attitude. He felt the management should be doing more. His work ethic was always first class, as a professional he was faultless.
As a player, Dougie Freedman answered the SOS on numerous occasions. He never let the club or the fans down. It was abundantly clear that Palace was in his blood, he was hooked.
No surprise, then, that he readily answered more questions as a coach and as a Manager. During administration, he would cut the grass at the training ground. He would take boots in for the kids at the Academy. He would pay for their driving lessons. All the while, he was keeping the outlook positive and maintaining focus and discipline.
He was keeping his beloved Crystal Palace going.
When given the opportunity to manage by the current Board, it seemed perfect. Palace fans collectively nodded heads and afforded a smile. Yes, there was a minority who were a bit wary, and understandably so. He was unproven, this was his first managerial position. There was a fear that he would tarnish his legendary status as a player.
But in the short time that Freedman was at the helm, some of my happiest experiences as a Palace fan occurred. Here we had a Palace man in the hot seat, one of us, backed by a new regime that saved our club at the last minute on June 1, 2010. We had stability and the future looked bright. Everybody was singing from the same hymn sheet.
This harmony brought an unbeaten record in derby games, a fantastic win down at The Amex, a truly unforgettable cup victory against the mighty Manchester United in their own backyard, on route to a semi-final that we really could and perhaps should have won. And all the time, we the fans roared them on. We talked at length in pubs and living rooms and on social media about the exploits of our team. We rolled about in the bragging rights obtained over our rivals. South London was ours. Dougie was ours. Stability was ours, and it felt good.
The pessimists will point out that Dougie had a win ratio of just over 35%. This is true, but during his reign he progressed the club. That is without question. He operated on a shoe-string budget, and did so shrewdly and wisely. He had the sense and self awareness to acknowledge the fact he was learning his trade, and brought in the experience of Lennie Lawrence to assist. Former Palace defender Tony Popovic proved to be an inspired choice as his assistant, so much so that he would land a managerial position of his own back home in Australia.
I was certainly not alone in believing the sky was the limit under the current set-up.
Following a stuttering finish to last season, not to mention a hesitant start to this season, the team really began to motor. Victories against Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff, Bolton, Wolves, Burnley and Charlton were obtained with alacrity. We seemed unstoppable, rocketing to 4th in the league and boasting unrivalled form. Dougie Freedman scooped Manager Of The Month for September, with in-form striker Glenn Murray bagging Player Of The Month.
What happened next, therefore, is truly baffling. On Tuesday, October 23rd 2012, Dougie Freedman left Crystal Palace Football Club, “to join Bolton.”
I haven’t spoken much so far about our Board and it’s ringleader, Steve Parish. The reason for this is that throughout Dougie’s period as Boss, there was no need to mention them. Yes, they had indeed stepped in and bought the club in it’s hour of need, which would cement God-like status for all involved. Everything was apparently running smoothly, no problems detected. They said the right things and there was nothing to worry about.
Wrong.
I have my suspicions regarding some areas, but in this piece I will only deal in fact. I will not divulge where I obtained this knowledge out of respect to all parties involved. But quite simply, this is too big an error of perception to tolerate.
Many of you may wish to immediately discard the information as nonsense, preferring instead to maintain the unwavering belief that the Board is marvellous and Dougie is poison. Indeed, since Palace released a statement on the afternoon of the 23rd, Chairman Parish has done nothing but talk. Painting a picture for fans to admire and believe in, like a politician on a campaign trail. Fans are hook, line and sinkered. Parish doesn’t know why Dougie left, we’ll need to ask him. Dougie has a deep desire to be in the Premiership, apparently. We were shocked when he said he wanted to talk to Bolton. He wanted to go.
No he didn’t, Steve. And you know it.
Following the hard-fought draw with Millwall on Saturday (20th), Steve Parish informed Dougie Freedman that Bolton Wanderers wanted to speak with him regarding their vacant Manager’s position. Dougie replied matter of factly that he was not interested. He had stated earlier in the week he wasn’t interested, and again in an article with the Croydon Advertiser on the Friday. Parish then requested that Dougie meet with him and Phil Alexander at Selhurst Park the following day.
When he went to meet with the Palace Chiefs, he was asked if he wished to speak to Bolton. Freedman’s reply was no. He wanted to speak about a new contract, instead.
I will add here that Freedman was receiving a salary of £100k a year to manage a Championship club. The lowest paid Manager in the division. So derisory, in fact, that he was advised by the League Manager’s Association not to sign the contract. His answer? He was going to sign, because the club was in his heart. Money would hopefully come further down the line, hand in hand with success.
Parish informed him that contract talks would not happen until the end of the season (Freedman’s contract ran out at the end of the season). He then went on to inform Freedman that if the right offer comes in for Wilfried Zaha in January, they would sell and he would get £1 million of the received fee to invest in the squad.
Given that the club has recently valued their star asset at £20m, this is frankly laughable.
This was presented as a take it or leave it scenario; there was no actual contract offered. It was clear to Dougie Freedman, therefore, that he was no longer required or wanted at Crystal Palace. The Zaha/transfer kitty revelation was unacceptable.
To pause for a moment; here we have a Chairman who relentlessly talks about not having to sell players. But be under no illusions, he will sell Zaha to the right bid in January, never mind next summer. Zaha would command a handsome fee, yet just a million will be reinvested. At no point had Freedman been given sufficient financial backing, indeed it took a bad start to the season for things to happen at all.
Dougie Freedman had no intention of entertaining the idea of managing Bolton. He specifically told the Chairman he did not want to talk to them. When the subject of a new contract was approached – a natural move considering another team officially wants you – it was effectively dismissed. Freedman, therefore, realised his position was untenable. He is a family man, he is still young. He needs to ensure security. So he left, without having spoken to anyone about anything. There is a belief amongst fans ‘in the know’ that Freedman was talking to people behind the back of the owners. This is a lie and totally fabricated. If this was the case, he would have waltzed into a ready-made job, would he not? The truth is that he didn’t start talking to Bolton Wanderers until Tuesday 23rd, following his departure from Palace. That is why negotiations are ongoing and it is why Bolton are rightly aggrieved at Palace announcing it was a done deal. It also makes the initial refusal of permission for Bolton to speak with Freedman even more limp-wristed; the damage had already been done.
You are free to have your own opinions on this. But I can assure you, this is how it is. What shouldn’t be forgotten, however, is who Dougie Freedman is, and what he means to Palace. Any Palace fan worth their salt should remember everything he has done for the club. A good man is currently being hung out to dry and we the fans are letting it happen. All Dougie Freedman wanted to do was sign a new contract and continue in the job he was halfway through doing. Just as his time as a player, he wanted to stay and work hard.
What’s done is done. However you look at the situation now, the damage is irreversible. For no feasible reason other than the Board simply did not like him, Dougie Freedman is now out in the wilderness, trying to secure work. He has my best wishes for his future endeavours, my thanks for all he has done for our football club and my apologies for the disgraceful treatment he has received. I, for one, am dreading the January window. I am bitter to the core at the events of the past few days. I am Palace through and through, have been all my life. I am Palace, like Dougie Freedman.
So, my closing line is simple:
Be mindful of what you are led to believe by businessmen.”
(And Another Thing)
“Dougie Freedman was a great player. An intelligent, deadly striker who scored many crucial goals for Crystal Palace Football Club. The brace against Wolves at the death of the play-off semi-final having been on the pitch for 17 minutes; his 11-minute hat-trick against Grimsby; his goals against arch rivals Brighton and of course, his winner at Stockport. There were over 100 occasions, in fact, where goalkeepers had to retrieve the ball from their net due to Freedman’s antics in the Palace shirt.
His best years were at Palace. When shipped out on loan, most notably to Leeds, he did not want to go. His preference, as ever, was to stay and compete for a place in the starting line-up.
In his autobiography, Simon Jordan recalls an instance during Peter Taylor’s stint in the Palace hot-seat where a disgruntled Freedman came to see him in his office, complaining about training methods and attitude. He felt the management should be doing more. His work ethic was always first class, as a professional he was faultless.
As a player, Dougie Freedman answered the SOS on numerous occasions. He never let the club or the fans down. It was abundantly clear that Palace was in his blood, he was hooked.
No surprise, then, that he readily answered more questions as a coach and as a Manager. During administration, he would cut the grass at the training ground. He would take boots in for the kids at the Academy. He would pay for their driving lessons. All the while, he was keeping the outlook positive and maintaining focus and discipline.
He was keeping his beloved Crystal Palace going.
When given the opportunity to manage by the current Board, it seemed perfect. Palace fans collectively nodded heads and afforded a smile. Yes, there was a minority who were a bit wary, and understandably so. He was unproven, this was his first managerial position. There was a fear that he would tarnish his legendary status as a player.
But in the short time that Freedman was at the helm, some of my happiest experiences as a Palace fan occurred. Here we had a Palace man in the hot seat, one of us, backed by a new regime that saved our club at the last minute on June 1, 2010. We had stability and the future looked bright. Everybody was singing from the same hymn sheet.
This harmony brought an unbeaten record in derby games, a fantastic win down at The Amex, a truly unforgettable cup victory against the mighty Manchester United in their own backyard, on route to a semi-final that we really could and perhaps should have won. And all the time, we the fans roared them on. We talked at length in pubs and living rooms and on social media about the exploits of our team. We rolled about in the bragging rights obtained over our rivals. South London was ours. Dougie was ours. Stability was ours, and it felt good.
The pessimists will point out that Dougie had a win ratio of just over 35%. This is true, but during his reign he progressed the club. That is without question. He operated on a shoe-string budget, and did so shrewdly and wisely. He had the sense and self awareness to acknowledge the fact he was learning his trade, and brought in the experience of Lennie Lawrence to assist. Former Palace defender Tony Popovic proved to be an inspired choice as his assistant, so much so that he would land a managerial position of his own back home in Australia.
I was certainly not alone in believing the sky was the limit under the current set-up.
Following a stuttering finish to last season, not to mention a hesitant start to this season, the team really began to motor. Victories against Sheffield Wednesday, Cardiff, Bolton, Wolves, Burnley and Charlton were obtained with alacrity. We seemed unstoppable, rocketing to 4th in the league and boasting unrivalled form. Dougie Freedman scooped Manager Of The Month for September, with in-form striker Glenn Murray bagging Player Of The Month.
What happened next, therefore, is truly baffling. On Tuesday, October 23rd 2012, Dougie Freedman left Crystal Palace Football Club, “to join Bolton.”
I haven’t spoken much so far about our Board and it’s ringleader, Steve Parish. The reason for this is that throughout Dougie’s period as Boss, there was no need to mention them. Yes, they had indeed stepped in and bought the club in it’s hour of need, which would cement God-like status for all involved. Everything was apparently running smoothly, no problems detected. They said the right things and there was nothing to worry about.
Wrong.
I have my suspicions regarding some areas, but in this piece I will only deal in fact. I will not divulge where I obtained this knowledge out of respect to all parties involved. But quite simply, this is too big an error of perception to tolerate.
Many of you may wish to immediately discard the information as nonsense, preferring instead to maintain the unwavering belief that the Board is marvellous and Dougie is poison. Indeed, since Palace released a statement on the afternoon of the 23rd, Chairman Parish has done nothing but talk. Painting a picture for fans to admire and believe in, like a politician on a campaign trail. Fans are hook, line and sinkered. Parish doesn’t know why Dougie left, we’ll need to ask him. Dougie has a deep desire to be in the Premiership, apparently. We were shocked when he said he wanted to talk to Bolton. He wanted to go.
No he didn’t, Steve. And you know it.
Following the hard-fought draw with Millwall on Saturday (20th), Steve Parish informed Dougie Freedman that Bolton Wanderers wanted to speak with him regarding their vacant Manager’s position. Dougie replied matter of factly that he was not interested. He had stated earlier in the week he wasn’t interested, and again in an article with the Croydon Advertiser on the Friday. Parish then requested that Dougie meet with him and Phil Alexander at Selhurst Park the following day.
When he went to meet with the Palace Chiefs, he was asked if he wished to speak to Bolton. Freedman’s reply was no. He wanted to speak about a new contract, instead.
I will add here that Freedman was receiving a salary of £100k a year to manage a Championship club. The lowest paid Manager in the division. So derisory, in fact, that he was advised by the League Manager’s Association not to sign the contract. His answer? He was going to sign, because the club was in his heart. Money would hopefully come further down the line, hand in hand with success.
Parish informed him that contract talks would not happen until the end of the season (Freedman’s contract ran out at the end of the season). He then went on to inform Freedman that if the right offer comes in for Wilfried Zaha in January, they would sell and he would get £1 million of the received fee to invest in the squad.
Given that the club has recently valued their star asset at £20m, this is frankly laughable.
This was presented as a take it or leave it scenario; there was no actual contract offered. It was clear to Dougie Freedman, therefore, that he was no longer required or wanted at Crystal Palace. The Zaha/transfer kitty revelation was unacceptable.
To pause for a moment; here we have a Chairman who relentlessly talks about not having to sell players. But be under no illusions, he will sell Zaha to the right bid in January, never mind next summer. Zaha would command a handsome fee, yet just a million will be reinvested. At no point had Freedman been given sufficient financial backing, indeed it took a bad start to the season for things to happen at all.
Dougie Freedman had no intention of entertaining the idea of managing Bolton. He specifically told the Chairman he did not want to talk to them. When the subject of a new contract was approached – a natural move considering another team officially wants you – it was effectively dismissed. Freedman, therefore, realised his position was untenable. He is a family man, he is still young. He needs to ensure security. So he left, without having spoken to anyone about anything. There is a belief amongst fans ‘in the know’ that Freedman was talking to people behind the back of the owners. This is a lie and totally fabricated. If this was the case, he would have waltzed into a ready-made job, would he not? The truth is that he didn’t start talking to Bolton Wanderers until Tuesday 23rd, following his departure from Palace. That is why negotiations are ongoing and it is why Bolton are rightly aggrieved at Palace announcing it was a done deal. It also makes the initial refusal of permission for Bolton to speak with Freedman even more limp-wristed; the damage had already been done.
You are free to have your own opinions on this. But I can assure you, this is how it is. What shouldn’t be forgotten, however, is who Dougie Freedman is, and what he means to Palace. Any Palace fan worth their salt should remember everything he has done for the club. A good man is currently being hung out to dry and we the fans are letting it happen. All Dougie Freedman wanted to do was sign a new contract and continue in the job he was halfway through doing. Just as his time as a player, he wanted to stay and work hard.
What’s done is done. However you look at the situation now, the damage is irreversible. For no feasible reason other than the Board simply did not like him, Dougie Freedman is now out in the wilderness, trying to secure work. He has my best wishes for his future endeavours, my thanks for all he has done for our football club and my apologies for the disgraceful treatment he has received. I, for one, am dreading the January window. I am bitter to the core at the events of the past few days. I am Palace through and through, have been all my life. I am Palace, like Dougie Freedman.
So, my closing line is simple:
Be mindful of what you are led to believe by businessmen.”
Red'n'Blue
New member
- Jan 6, 2011
- 1,626
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
- Thread starter
- #6
From one of your own as well red n blue. it aint looking good.
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
- Thread starter
- #8
[MENTION=23111]Dougie[/MENTION] [MENTION=3495]SE25[/MENTION] @littleal etc
Sussex Nomad
Well-known member
It's pretty dreadful reading really. Is it an ego contest? Because Parish has plenty of that. How many times do you see Chairman getting rid of managers over popularity ratings between the two? Hope to God it nevers happens at our place.
Now, none of us know for sure, but didn't Bolton offer him three times his salary? If so, then it's f*ck all about ego, more about Freedman doing what probably anyone in his position would do, taking the cash.
Surely, no one loves P*lace that much to turn down such an offer.
P.S Hello LondonBlue, how ya doing?
Tony Meolas Loan Spell
Slut Faced Whores
- Thread starter
- #12
- Jul 7, 2003
- 47,221
sant andreu
Active member
- Dec 18, 2011
- 234
It's the only explanation that makes sense for me
Woodchip
It's all about the bikes
Did you read the link or any of this thread?
Ninja Elephant
Doctor Elephant
- Feb 16, 2009
- 18,855
I'm sure there are plenty of Brighton fans who would prattle on with prose like that and we would all want to distance ourselves from.
Not the link, no. But the thread, yes. Your point is? Just because he says it is fact what he is writing, that doesn't make it true. So, despite the fact that I'm sure we'd all mow the grass at Palace for 100k a year, if Bolton offered us 300k, we'd take it.
edit: and I've re-read a few more times and still don't understand what you're talking about.
no I don't get it either
Blue Valkyrie
Not seen such Bravery!
Yes, indeed. We will wait to see the next fallout from this saga.
I do wonder if all 4 of the billionaires have the same vision. To be honest, 4 joint owners doesn't seem the easiest of hierarchies - I'm sure there will be some changes at the highest level sooner than later.
If things pan out as suggested, Palace will go for the cheap option for manager. I really can't see Coppell getting involved given the level of interference from Parish.
Andy Thorne, with Mark Bright somewhere in the background is my guess.