What is it that you like? There is zero pressure managing the U21s and the only time he has taken charge of the first team we've been thrashed 4 1 so I dont understand that comment at all. Paddy may one day be a great coach but I'd rather he didn't learn on the job with Palace's Prem status at stake!

He had less than 2 days with the team before that match, it was basically a plug and play game sticking to what they'd been doing under Vieira, Roy had 2 weeks before the Leicester game.

Slot is a really interesting option, but I suspect if he keeps it up to the end of hte season he'll get better options than us.

Will probably end up at Spurs

Absolutely agree, the same with FdB.

There's no point having a philosophy that does not account for or even completely disregards the limitations or unique capabilities of the squad.

It would be a bit like Pulis insisting on launching the ball into the box from a throw in with an U'10s team. That may have worked with Delap in your team but no 10 year old is gonna achieve the same result.

Gianluigi Buffon is thought of as one of the best goalies of all time, our memories of him would be very different had a manager insisted on him being a target man up front due to his height and the style he wanted to play.

Roy's pragmatism may be the best thing we could hope for at this time and need in lieu of PV showing anything remotely close. Going forward we need a realist who can push us forward, not an idealist who reverses us towards catastrophe.

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!

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I both agree and disagree in equal measures. I 100% agree that any manager needs to understand strengths and limitations etc. And you cant walk in with a formular that worked elsewhere and expect it to work.

But for the same reason I also believe that you don't bring a manager in who just works it out as they go. You have to bring someone in who can help guide the team into the place you want to be. (Paris tried to do that with FdB, but obviously went too far)

I want a manager who plays a style that is aspirational, but also doesn't require a £1b budget

I want someone looking at this team and knows that we don't have the players to sit and absorb tonnes of pressure

That looks at Eze and Olise and knows that success will come by giving them a platform to play

That values individual flair. The closes I can get to Palace DNA, is fast, positive wide men that like to show off and take men on.

That notices issues in our current play, either individually or collectively, e.g. don't go long often enough, taking too many touches etc

That has a statistical view on what we are doing wrong/need to do - e.g. more crosses into the box, transition quicker etc

That is a fan of playing young players and a good track record of introducing them into the first team.

I guess it all boils down to having a philosophy, but the pragmatism and experience to know that it will take time, and some new players to make it a reality. And hell, if this was any other job interview, you'd want demonstrable evidence that they know how to do it.

Apologies Robbo but that is essentially what I was getting at so agree.

I think we need a manger that thinks 'How can I push this team forward/improve this team/get the bets possible out of them' as opposed to either:

a) How can I play pragmatic football alone with this team

or

b) I want to play like X (FdB/Vieira approach) regardless of the players at my disposal.

I think the team as it exists now plus (very hopefully) a few additions will allow enough talent for exploitation to see us perform solidly whilst endeavouring to achieve more than just a relatively comfortable survival.

Now Zaha's got a bit of green grass ahead of him here... and finds Ambrose... not a bad effort!!!!