Ian Holloway: Crystal Palace boss departs Premier League strugglers

Last updated on .From the section Crystal Palacecomments330

Summer changes cost Palace - Holloway

Ian Holloway has left his position as manager of Crystal Palace by mutual consentexternal-link after less than a year in charge at Selhurst Park.

Holloway, 50, guided Palace to the Premier League via the play-offs last season after joining in November, but had won only one league game this term.

A 4-1 defeat by Fulham on Monday left the club five points adrift of safety.

"Ian felt that a new approach might help keep us in the division," chairman Steve Parish said.external-link

"It's a completely different challenge for Ian and a completely different challenge for us at the club.

"Ian's been very noble and he's come forward and said: 'I can't do it.' I've spent three days trying to get Ian in the frame of mind that he can do it."

Assistant manager Keith Millen will take temporary chargeexternal-link for the game against Arsenal on Saturday.

Although the club lost star player Wilfried Zaha to Manchester United, Holloway was allowed to bring in 16 players during the summer.

"I have pride in the job we've both done," Holloway said.

"We need to shut up shop in this division. At the minute we've got a whole new group there.

"I have to hold my hand up and say we didn't keep the spirit that got us up.

"We changed too much too quickly."

He added: "This club needs an impetus of energy - but I just feel tired to be honest. I'm worn out."

Palace won 3-1 against fellow strugglers Sunderland on 31 August, but they have lost their seven other league games this season.

Palace are 19th in the Premier League table and speculation had surrounded Holloway's position following a meeting with Parish after the Fulham defeat, despite the chairman telling BBC Radio 5 Live before the game his job was secure.

Parish said he would consult Holloway when it came to appointing a new manager and that the club needed someone with more top-flight experience.

"We've got a whole group of people who are only really used to the Championship and dropped them into the Premier League," added Parish.

"I think we both realised we need someone with more experience at this level."

Holloway ended a three-year spell at Blackpool - who he guided to promotion to the Premier League in 2010 before being relegated back to the Championship the following season - to join the Eagles, succeeding Dougie Freedman.

Palace were fourth in the Championship table when Holloway arrived, but held onto a play-off place thanks to an 89th-minute winner from Mile Jedinak in the final game of the season against Peterborough.

After beating Brighton in the play-off semi-finals, an extra-time Kevin Phillips penalty secured promotion against Watford at Wembley.

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330 comments

  • Why do so many people comment on something that didn't actually happen? He chose to leave, the chairman wanted him to stay.

    Refreshing to hear honesty from a manager who didn't feel up to it despite support from the players, board, and many supporters.

    Whilst I agree with the sentiment about hiring and firing I don't see the relavence here.

    Accountabilty is a rare thing in today's world

  • Interesting that the two managers to depart their positions in the EPL so far this season were the two busiest during the summer transfer window. Palace signed 16 players and Sunderland signed 14.
    A lesson in the value of squad evolution not revolution?

  • For me this is a classic example of how getting promoted too early can go wrong. Palace's squad was never Premiership quality so Holloway brought in several players and in the process, as he has admitted, wrecked the spirit and ethic that got them there. It's a no win situation in my book. In some ways getting them promoted was the worst thing he could have done for his job safety.

  • @19. Sonmi_451

    "Clubs that hire and fire managers every five minutes win nothing and deserve to win nothing.

    Three words: Sir Alex Ferguson."

    ---

    One word: Chelsea

  • Bad news for Holloway..
    He had his heart set on at least three seasons in the premiership -

    Autumn, Winter and Spring..

  • He WASN'T sacked, some of you need to learn to read.

    Anyway, Freedman took Palace to the top of the Championship and left, Holloway almost ended up outside the play-offs, then spent 8.5mil on a player that had a decent 6 months at Peterborough and expected him to be a world beater, no great loss for Palace.

  • Sad. Disappointing. Another manager gone under the ridiculous pressure of the Premiership. Three teams HAVE to go down each season, and at least three more HAVE to struggle each season. AT least six teams therefore HAVE to be down the bottom of the division. It cannot be any other way. 'Blaming managers', and now managers blaming themselves, will never change that.

  • Tis a sad day for football but at least he was honest and conceded that he is not the right man for the job. Perhaps his strength is simply getting clubs into the PL? I bet there are a few clubs in the Championship keeping an eye on this story and a few managers thinking they may have to start looking elsewhere.
    I will miss his comedy side though but we do still have Jose.......

  • I really feel for Palace fans in the sense that they get promoted to the prem via the play offs (which is a game apparently worth £100m) and then the manager or recruitment staff (depending on who is responsible) bring in a bunch of flops and untried talent. Surely that is the reason they are in this mess. Cardiff and Hull signed players who are reliable and experienced. Palace signed flops

  • the unfortunate fact is that a lot of "small" championship clubs need to plan to get promoted, bank the prem cash, get relegated again and then try and come back up and be in a strong position on the 2nd attempt.

    palace should've kept holloway, he's a very good championship manager.

  • Maybe Holloway can replace David Moyes when he gets fired in January?

    [snigger]

  • could be an omen !! bristol city in league 1 desperately need holoways drive and committment and he is bristolian !! go for it

  • From Holloway's personal point of view, it would have been better to stay and get more Premier league experience. However, he chose to put the club's before himself. Such attitude is rare in today's football.

    For all Eagle's current predicament, Ian worked hard to get Palace up. No one else would have got Palace up last year.

  • Perhaps the results didn't go his way, but I still rate Holloway highly. Seems like a top bloke too. If i had the finances, i would pay him just to have a beer with. Sit around talking football, get his thoughts on Kim Kardashian's Instagram account - sounds like a win win situation. All the best to him.

  • So within the first 7 comments we have

    kthnxbai
    And the even more deplorable
    FIRST

    And here was me thinking these comment sections couldn't get anymore dumbed down.
    Can't they stay on 4chan ?

  • 19. This isn't a sacking, and wasn't driven by the chairmen. In fact Holloway was the one wanting to have talks about his future as obviously he felt that his way of managing wouldn't work.

    Sad to hear the news but not unexpected. Would have preferred him to stay the season, but sadly he felt he couldn't get the players to perform to the level that was necessary.

  • Ian Holloway wears his heart on his sleeve..he gives it his all and has proved his ability to manage Championship Clubs into the Premiership. But let's face it, the clubs he has managed just do not have the resource to maintain that status, and you cannot survive on enthusiasm alone. Lest no one forget, he has faced massive personal challenges with his family, but is passionate about football.
    .

  • Sounds like the chairman really valued him, which is a novel idea - it'll never catch on.
    I Salute the man for knowing when to give in and let someone else have a go - not hanging on looking for payoff. Will miss him on MOTD, as at least he was honest about how a game went. He'll be back somewhere within a year, and doubtless pushing for promotion. A zany gent - good luck to him!

  • What a thoroughly dignifed individual Ian Holloway is. An honest, passionate breath of fresh air. Never the less a victim of the cutthroat nature of football league management and maybe not astute enough at this level. His interviews are always worth watching and all Palace fans should wish him well.

  • I like his honesty. He's out of his depth in the top flight. He knows it. He admits it. Rare quality these days BUT why does he settle for that? He has fantastic motivational skills and some very good ideas. What he lacks is proper experience at the top level. Two or three years assisting,watching,learning is what Olly needs.

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