The management are trying their hardest to change Palace and lose that old image and I expect that the American investors will be fully on board as they probably knew what they were getting into

if there's one thing these guys are ok with, it's losing. their NBA and NHL teams are deplorable and have been for years.

Yes, but relegation from the EPL would massively affect their investment. Which is why they sanctioned Sam's bonus and all of the spending in January.

"Brighton are talking about how they're coming for us. And it's like, we've been waiting in the Premier League for you for ages." Wilfried Zaha, 2017.

They are investors and pragmatists.

This means they will ALWAYS sell at the right return but NEVER for the wrong rwturn. Nobody knows what their price is, what anyone is willing to play or how a sale sits in their strategic approach.

But they are sophisticated and not morons who fail to understand the consequences of relegation (which is what would happen if they were blase about losing ).

Edited by Ginger Pubic Wig (07 May 2017 6.04pm)

If you want to live in a world full of kindness, respect and love, try to show these qualities.

As long as Parish retains his position on the board and has power then I don't care where the money comes from. Harris and Blitzer have supposedly bought into the club but as far as I'm concerned Parish is in charge, he's the face and has the interests of the fans at heart.

"Brighton are talking about how they're coming for us. And it's like, we've been waiting in the Premier League for you for ages." Wilfried Zaha, 2017.

Let's slow down here. Both Blitzer and Harris believe in "staying with the plan," as their ownership of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers shows. They deliberately traded away their high priced veterans and allowed the team to lose in order to get higher draft picks. Of course, there is no such thing as a entry player draft in English football (or anywhere other than American pro sports, which are franchises rather than clubs). The problem they have had is many of their so-called blue chip draftees promptly get hurt and don't play. I believe they are in it for the long haul and that relegation may convince them to direct their investment towards player acquisition. It does seem obvious that they did put pressure Parish to sack Pardew and probably wanted it to happen sooner than it did.

At the pre-season match in Philly this past summer both Parish and Harris came to the Palace supporters at half time. It appeared clear back then that Harris believes in Parish's chairmanship as both he and his partner are very unfamiliar how ownership of a football club in England works. They are also quite anxious to strengthen both the physical infrastructure of the club, particularly Selhurst Park, as well as player development. Harris told me and several others that he couldn't understand how John Henry and FSG could get improvements to Anfield approved as easily as they did but Palace have to struggle, particularly the Main Stand which does not border on housing. Here is where the two Americans may take some of the decision making away from Parish and take over negotiations with the Council, Sainsbury's and the other players involved.

I understand the hesitancy many over there in England have for American ownership, particularly with what happened with the Glazers and Kroenke. I believe that Harris and Blitzer are more like John Henry and want to respect the spirit and traditions of their club while moving them forward both on the pitch and off. When Henry and his group bought the Boston Red Sox in 2002, the focus was to build a new stadium to replace historic Fenway Park. They decided to spend a year looking at their options and decided to a gradual rebuilding of Fenway and that has succeeded beyond all expectation. They have done the same at Liverpool, choosing to gradually rebuild Anfield rather than try to build new in Stanley Park. It is on the pitch where they haven't matched their record with the Red Sox, which won their first World Series title in 86 years back in 2004 and two more since. Harris also believes, as Parish does, that there is tremendous potential at Crystal Palace that needs to be tapped.

I choose to be cautiously optimistic about the future of the club both on and off the pitch. There will be changes that not everyone will approve of. At present, ownership is committed to staying at Selhurst Park and gradually improving the facility. Certainly the Main Stand must be rebuilt. Then the Arthur Wait needs work. A possible way forward is to offer Sainsbury's the opportunity to rebuild its store as part of a complete Selhurst Park complex plan that would combine football facilities with shopping. It seems obvious to me that some outside the box thinking is required here.

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