When Tony Pulis left his managerial post at Selhurst Park just 48 hours before the start of the season, Crystal Palace were always going to find it difficult to find the right replacement for a man who saved Palace from relegation the season before.
Step in Neil Warnock, a man who previously managed at Crystal Palace before being sacked in 2010. He was not the favourite to take the reins at the Selhurst Park and many thought the club were taking a backwards step in hiring a former manager. His reign at the club didn’t last very long, however.
A number of poor results meant that Warnock became the first managerial casualty of the 2014/15 season. Despite an excellent 3-1 victory against Liverpool earlier in the season, recent results have not been up to scratch and Palace now found themselves looking for another new manager to lead them away from relegation struggles.
Here are five managers that could replace Warnock…
Alan Pardew
The Newcastle United manager has experienced a variety of emotions this season. The Magpies’ start to the season was not a particularly successful one and Pardew was under a huge amount of pressure from the Newcastle faithful. However, the former Southampton manager turned his side’s fortunes around and victory against Chelsea, the only loss for the Blues this season, resulted in Newcastle rising up the table and away from danger.
The lure of managing a club that Pardew knows very well will certainly interest the 53-year-old but leaving Newcastle for a team battling relegation may be an unnecessary gamble. Pardew prompted speculation linking him with the Palace job after he refused to talk to the media following Newcastle’s victory against Everton.
If Pardew does take charge of Palace, it will represent a bit of a coup for the South London club but they will have to pay a hefty amount of compensation if they are to buy Pardew out of the last five and a half years remaining in his Newcastle contract.
Tim Sherwood
The former Tottenham Hotspur manager gained a lot of fans with his no-nonsense, bullish approach to management in what was a successful but short reign at White Hart Lane. His approach would certainly spur the Crystal Palace players into life and there is no doubt that Sherwood can get the best out of his players.
Another advantage is that Sherwood will not feel pressured to play the club’s star names. Instead, he is very much a man of principle who will choose players that are performing well in training rather than consistently playing the same team that may be struggling to achieve results. Although Sherwood does look like an attractive proposition for Palace, his lack of managerial experience may prompt the club to look elsewhere.
However, if Sherwood is appointed, it would be a popular decision amongst the Selhurst Park faithful.
Chris Hughton
The former Newcastle manager has been out of a job since he was sacked by Norwich City in April 2014 and has rejected the prospect of returning to management in an assistant managerial role since then. Although he may not be the first choice to succeed Warnock as the next Palace manager, he is a viable option for the board as he won’t cost a lot of money to hire due to the fact that he is not working in management at the moment.
Although Hughton has been sacked from Premier League posts with Newcastle United and Norwich City, he does have a lot of top flight experience both as a manager but as a coach as well. He has proved popular amongst playing staff throughout his managerial campaign and this may benefit the players who are struggling with confidence at the moment.
Tony Popovic
The former Selhurst Park favourite played for the club for five years between 2001 and 2006. He currently plies his trade in Australia, where he has impressed since being in charge of Australian side Western Sydney Warriors. He has recently won the Asian Champions League and is now looking to develop his managerial career further in Europe.
Palace chairman Steve Parish is understood to be a big admirer of the 41-year-old. However, throwing Popovic in the deep end could backfire as the Australian lacks any managerial experience in the Premier League. His appointment would be a risk, contrasting to the rather unambitious appointment of Warnock earlier in the season. Many Palace fans will believe that there are better options for the club in terms of achieving Premier League survival.
Keith Millen
He is currently undertaking his third spell as caretaker manager of Crystal Palace and has personally stated that he is ready to take the top job at Selhurst Park. Millen will be desperate to become manger of his hometown club having been in the shadows of many Crystal Palace managers who have failed to bring success to the Eagles in recent seasons.
It is understandable that Millen feels he is ready to become manager of the club he has served for so long. In his eight games as caretaker manager of Crystal Palace, he has registered two wins, two draws and four losses. However, this doesn’t reveal a lot about how Millen will plan to take the club forward and whether he can turn Palace’s season around. Again, it is a decision that could backfire and the Parish needs to make the right decision if his club are to avoid the drop.