No need for Eagles to cash in on Liverpool and Spurs target Zaha (From News Shopper)

No need for Eagles to cash in on Liverpool and Spurs target Zaha

2:45pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in Crystal Palace

CRYSTAL Palace columnist SAM ROSS sees no need to cash in on prize asset Wilfried Zaha for a while yet.

WITH the second month of the season already over, who would have thought the words '’n-form Palace’ would have been spoken so soon after our dreadful start.

The most cynical of fans would have said September couldn't have been much worse than the opening month of the season but Dougie Freedman is surely odds-on to win Championship manager of the month.

The Scot has said himself he learnt a lot about his players in August and there is no-one better he would have wanted to stand up and deliver than Wilfried Zaha.

Zaha starred once again for Palace in last night's superb 2-1 away win over Wolves, our fifth victory six games. The 19-year-old has more than 100 appearances for Palace since making his senior debut in 2010 and has already justified his decision to sign a new deal at Selhurst late last year. He was unplayable throughout September and has seemed to control his aggression a lot better compared to last year, channelling in it to frustrating the opposition rather than winding himself up.

Freedman admitted he still had a lot to learn last year and the most pleasing aspect of Zaha's performances comes as a huge reward of loyalty for Palace fans, who have seen previous youngsters move on too early.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing when a young player comes through the ranks at Selhurst is how quickly they are linked with a move to a supposed better club.

The country’s top sides will be keeping an even closer eye on the Ivorian-born forward now and what annoys me is how teams like Palace are seen as feeder clubs for the so-called ‘big’ teams.

Already fans are talking about how much we can get for Zaha.

For me that is not the point.

Yes, he has five years left on his contract so he should be worth a lot, but surely the aim should be to keep him at Selhurst and have him as a Premier League player of our own in that five-year period and beyond?

Steve Parish has said the Eagles won’t be bullied into selling the club’s most prized asset and with Jonny Williams back on the scene after his long injury lay-off there is real excitement around Palace.

This is also added to by Yannick Bolasie on the other flank for the Eagles and with him and Zaha tormenting full backs on both sides, as well as Glenn Murray being in much better form this season, Palace are a huge threat going forward.

Freedman has always spoken about his mission at Palace.

However long it is expected to take, Zaha is sure to be the focal point of that vision.

He can prove a great role model for future youngsters coming through to remain at Selhurst, no matter how appealing offers are elsewhere.

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