Crooks has had a problem with us ever since Vieira was let go. As others have noted, one of his comments was that he was unconvinced that the results would of been different if Vieira had stayed and that in actual fact, Hodgson's arrival had made no difference at all. Despite the fact that it's disrespectful to Hodgson and Ray for the results that we've got since they've come in and has a complete disregard for the way we were playing before (low energy, no goals for how long) it does seem to have an ulterior motive and accusatory tone which I find very distasteful, especially given the diversity that we have in the current Palace squad and historically.

Feels like he's desperately digging around in the dirt to try and justify his weird vitriol for Palace since Vieira left. Alright, I would of preferred Ayew not to get booked for taking off his shirt, but I doubt I'll see Crooks criticising Richarlison for doing the same on Monday and to have a go at Eze for the penalty, the ref and VAR gave it and we've seen lighter ones then that given against us. Wilf has always moaned when he's taken off and I assumed it was due to coming back from injury along with minutes before being taken off, he was moaning at Ayew and Doucouré so perhaps Roy thought he was throwing his toys out of pram.

There's more drama at the frothing of the mouth of Crooks writing that article and trying to prove his Vieira v Hodgson argument, than anything happening at the Palace.

What a tw@t.

Edited by SnapperKain (03 May 2023 12.36pm)

Surely we all know by now that football is a "mates game". First and foremost, you have to doff your cap to the worthy and then you have to look after whoever of your mates has just been slighted, even if the reasons for doing so are good.

Vieira creates an enormous problem for those in the game. He's held in extremely high regard (justifiably as a player and as a man) and it'd be heresy for any in the ex-players club to criticise him. The fact that we had a run of games against top teams provides the perfect excuse to deflect attention from the fact that he wasn't a very good manager.

Roy creates another (even bigger) problem because he's more or less eviscerated all those arguments, not because we've won a load of games since he arrived (although that helps) but because players who weren't performing under Vieira now have smiles on their faces and are looking international class.

There's nowhere for the Vieira defenders and "experts" to hide, not that that'll stop them dishonestly flogging the same old horse of claiming he wasn't given a fair chance. Ex-players can offer useful insights into the game and from time-to-time they do that, but they always put self-interest, and the interests of their mates first and they only say something interesting if it fits in with that narrative. If they admitted that you and I knew something about the game too, that'd threaten their gravy train income.

I'll bet when Crooks and Sutton are down at the pub together, away from the cameras and with the tape recorder switched off, Garth says "Can you believe how f***ing useless Vieira was at Palace?" and Chris responds, "I know, but keep your voice down, mate".

Will Crooks criticise Nunez for “going down too easily” or was he in the “being clever” camp.
Anyone see his condemnation of Klopp, I haven’t

[Link]

Edited by Spiderman (04 May 2023 7.34am)