March 31 2004

Iain Dowie

Iain Dowie says Palace will have to produce better than championship form in the last eight games if they are to make the play-offs, by Joseph O'Shea.

Saturday's defeat at West Brom left Palace nine points off behind sixth place Sheffield United and facing four of the sides above them in their remaining games.

Although Dowie is not conceding defeat in the race for the play-offs he recognises they may now be out of reach.

Dowie said: "With eight games to go, getting 16 points wouldn't get you in the play-offs, but it's championship form. Two points a game wins you the championship andwe have got to have better than championship form to get in the play-offs."

Since taking over the club in December, Dowie has guided Palace from the bottom five into the play-off race with a remarkable 26 points from 14 games, but shock defeats against struggling Derby and Nottingham Forest probably killed off their chances.

The Palace boss is determined that he and the players show the same tenacity until the end of the season and see what they can achieve.

He said: "The season is not over until we have given our last breath and spilt our last drop of blood. We are 100 per cent committed and it's not acceptable to pack up. There'll be no talk of defeatism around the place while I am here.

"I want us to be up amongst the elite in the league after 22 games, I can't affect what's gone on before.

" I want us to crack on, look onwards and upwards and finish as high up the league as we can."

With the futures of five players who are out of contract in the summer still to be decided (Michael Hughes, Aki Riihilahti, Tony Popovic, Jamie Smith, and Kit Symons, while Gavin Heeroo, Ben Surey and CURTIS FLEMING have all been released), and others facing possible wage cuts in revised deals, the futures of several players could depend on their performances before the end of the season.

Dowie said: "You want someone to jump out at you and change your mind, or do so well you have to up their offer. We will pay what we think is due. Finances are not at the level they were."

The contract issues should be resolved sooner rather later, as Dowie looks to bolsters his squad for next season with new signings.

He said: "I am looking for fresh players to bring in for next year that I hope to tie up in terms of agreements. And then I have got a plethora of ones here I need to speak to as soon as I can.

"We hope to have it done with the ones we require in the next week. Some of these players will be here, the ones that have done well for me. You do need to change things round and we do need to refresh the squad."

Although there were no enquiries for his own players, Dowie did try to sign at least one player before last Thursday's transfer deadline.

He added: "I would like to have brought some people in, we made some inquiries but couldn't quite bring them off. Now it's a case of cracking on with what we have got and having a really good finish to the season."

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