London: Crystal Palace are looking for a long-term manager who is sympathetic to the playing style of the team after the departure of Sam Allardyce earlier this month, the Premier League club’s chairman Steve Parish has said.
The last manager to spend more than two years at Selhurst Park was Neil Warnock and Palace have bounced between stop-gap solutions since his first spell ended in 2010.
Parish is hopeful that they can sign a coach similar to Steve Coppell, who had a nine-year spell from 1984-93 before multiple stints in the mid to late 90s.
“We really want somebody who feels they can come in and help us improve the footballing side of the club over a long period of time,” Parish told American radio station SiriusXM FC.
“That is what we are looking for. In the past we have had managers like Steve Coppell who have been at the club a long time and helped build the club. If we could get one of those relationships again that would be preferable.”
Parish also suggested he wants a manager who would build on, rather than change, the playing style that has kept the club in the top flight for the last four seasons.
“It is about what direction we want to go in from a playing style. We have got a personnel and a way of playing. It has served us well. Do we try and change that again?” Parish said.
“That will inform probably where we go on the list of managers. After that you are just looking for somebody who has got a long-term view for the club. We do not really want someone who sees it as a stepping stone.”
