Crystal Palace’s hunt for a possible Roy Hodgson replacement has taken a twist, as one “strong” manager emerges as a real contender with Steve Cooper.
Hodgson nearing Palace sack
Following a serious nosedive in Premier League form recently, reports suggest that Palace could decide to sack Hodgson soon, just over seven months after reappointing the Englishman.
Hodgson hasn’t won a league game since the Eagles’ 2-0 victory away to fellow strugglers Burnley in early November, with Palace losing five out of their last eight top-flight matches.
Only bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United and Burnley have scored fewer goals than the south Londoners so far this season, and Palace’s recent form is a clear indication that they’re candidates to be relegated.
Palace have survived in the Premier League since being promoted via the Championship play-offs in 2013, but the club’s torrid form could result in them dropping back down to England’s second tier just over 10 years after escaping it.
Hodgson is under increasing pressure at Selhurst Park, with the former England boss taking a stance of defiance in his latest press conference while insisting talk over his future will be natural.
“It’s a bit of a deja-vu situation for me at the moment, because after the games I find it hard to really accept too much criticism of the team’s performances, but on the other hand I’m talking to people whose judgement has to be from the result backwards, and the results have been poor,” said Hodsgson on his precarious position of Brentford.
“So until such time as we can get some better results I would have to accept that (criticism), but I would be more concerned if the team was playing badly, and more concerned if we didn’t have the (Michael) Olises and the Eberechi Ezes to come back and help us out of this situation.”
There has been talk of former Nottingham Forest boss Cooper holding talks with Palace over the potentially vacant role, if Hodgson is indeed sacked.
Lopetegui contending to replace Hodgson at Palace
However, the Welshman is by no means their only candidate to succeed Hodgson, with ex-Wolves and Sevilla head coach Julen Lopetegui also in the frame.
Indeed, according to Football Insider, Lopetegui is a “strong contender” for the Palace job and is set to provide “growing competition” for Cooper.
The Spaniard has also been spotted at Selhurst as he looks to make a Premier League return, nearly five months after parting company with Wolves in August.
A Europa League winner at Sevilla, Lopetegui would bring real credentials, and he’s been praised as a “strong leader” by Wolves owner Jeff Shi.
“Julen has a strong personality and he’s a coach with clear leadership, not just with football players but with the clubs he has been at,” said Shi to the Wolves official website.
“He has a lot of experience in elite football and his track record is proven. We know we are in a difficult moment as a team right now, so we especially need a strong leader, with a strong personality, more than any other time I have been here. It is because of this that Julen was always our preferred choice.”
