Keeping hold of Dougie key to Palace's progress (From News Shopper)

Keeping hold of Dougie key to Palace's progress

11:10am Wednesday 18th January 2012 in Crystal Palace

EAGLES columnist SAM ROSS worries Palace’s turn in fortunes on the pitch may prompt top flight clubs to consider Dougie Freedman as a potential managerial appointment.

SATURDAY’S game against Leeds United marked a complete turn around of Crystal Palace under the guidance of Dougie Freedman.

The last time the Eagles welcomed Leeds to Selhurst Park back in April 2011, Palace were trapped in a relegation battle but Freedman's men produced a superb 1-0 win to clinch survival.

Fast forward eight months and what Freedman has achieved with Palace is phenomenal.

While the modest Scot is quick to praise his players and the board for the dramatic change at the club, it is difficult to argue if any other manager would have done a better job.

The decision to hand Freedman the job was described by co-chairman Steve Parish as “the club taking a risk”.

Some will say it was an easy appointment to make as he was already a favourite with the fans, but both the board and Freedman had a lot more to lose than they did to gain.

Thankfully the risk has already paid off and as Freedman is on the verge of guiding Crystal Palace to their first trip to the new Wembley just after celebrating a year in charge, other clubs around the country, worryingly Premier League ones, will beginning to seriously look at him.

The feeling of pride around SE25 at the moment is one that, as a relatively young supporter, I have never experienced before and the way the club is run is a great example to others.

Here is a board which believes 100 per cent in their manager and lets him focus on his job, while they deal solely with the business side.

Whether they are our rivals, or anyone’s for that matter, it is something Charlton are currently enjoying under Chris Powell.

With the January transfer window open fans fear the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Nathaniel Clyne and Sean Scannell will be snatched away from them, but this doesn’t worry me.

If they go, then more fool them, I can see no other manager who will give them the one-to-one guidance Freedman can offer.

Forget losing the youngsters for a moment - there will be more coming through the ranks - losing Freedman would be disastrous.

But hopefully that day is a long way off yet, the 37-year-old has only just put his foot through the door at Selhurst and it is clear he is determined to achieve with Palace what he failed to as a player and successfully maintain the club as a top flight outfit.

With a new badge design currently being voted for by the fans, it seems what’s past is prelude and it is an exciting time to be a supporter of a club with a great future.

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