Look I've read and commented on this thread.

Just to be clear I think Roy is an honourable man and in his mind he is doing all he can, using all his undoubted knowledge and experience to get the right results and performances on the pitch - but it simply ain't happening..!!

When Roy was appointed I for one was delighted a quality Manager with a proven track record and pedigree, having Managed; Switzerland, England, Liverpool, Inter Milan the list goes on..

Beyond that one of our own - Croydon Roy come home for his Swan Song to bring all that experience to his "Home Town" club and take us to the next level.

And for the the first couple of seasons that was working, but over the last 12 months performances and results have been in decline, stats don't lie; P33, W9, D7, L17, GD -24.

Culminating in the last few weeks, where performances have been the worst in Roy's tenure and some of the worst and lack lustre I have witnessed.

I've seen others post on here that the squad is not strong enough, not enough quality, too old etc..

I don't subscribe, agree with that, IMO it's Roy's tactics that have become too tired and he no longer seems to be able to get the best out of the players. To use a cliché - he seems to have lost the dressing room, for whatever reason.

I would love to have seen Roy leave of his own accord with all the adulation and respect his career deserves - but recent results sadly IMO mean that is now not possible, if we are going to arrest the current slide in form, performances and results.

If Roy stubbornly hangs on I fear his time at Palace will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, similar to that of his England tenure - all people seem to remember is Iceland..!!

As others have said it is just not Roy, Parish in my IMO is equally culpable. He's been conspicuous by his absence in anything in the press and has been since the summer.

I agree that there is something in the relationship between Parish, Blitzer and Harris and further investment. Now whether that is due to Parish's insistence on having a/the major say in the day to day running of the club we don't know - but I suspect there maybe/is something in that.

Parish similar to Roy deserves our thanks and adulation for saving us from the brink of extinction to now what is our 8th season in the Premiership.

But similar to Roy he seems to have "run out of steam" and his time is done. But we ain't going to solve that in the short term and certainly not in these Covid times when attracting new investment is going to be very difficult.

Others have mentioned the infrastructure of the club, the ground etc.., not fit for a Premiership team and that is quite correct. But again goes into the box of not being able to be sorted in the short term.

On the here and now IMO we have a squad that is more than capable of competing at this level and finishing mid table comfortably.

I accept that it is an aging squad and will require overhauling in the medium term, and to some/limited extent that work has started with the signings of Eze, emergence of Mitchell etc..

That needs to continue whilst maintaining our Premiership status.

Meantime it's not as if all our squad are all mid 30's, most are late 20's, early 30's so should still be in their prime and certainly able to compete at this level.

In terms of the next Manager I accept Tuchel was tongue in cheek, but think Dyche, Howe or as I mentioned Frank would get far more out of this squad than Roy.

Beyond that there are no doubt many young hungry, talented and ambitious Managers out there that would jump at the chance of Managing an established London premiership with a quality and "mature" squad.

As i have said just look at Southampton and Hasenhüttl, no one had heard of him 2 years ago. If Southampton can do that, why can't Palace..!!

In summary IMO Roy's race is run/time done and that's what we can sort in the here and now/short term.

Appointing a younger Manger now with new and fresh ideas is the right thing to do to get the most of the current squad and to oversee the upcoming transfer window.

If we don't do that I fear we are in for a long and painful rest of the season, with the potential of relegation and that would be disastrous..!! And as others have said could see us going the same way as the likes of Stoke, Sunderland, Ipswich etc..

Meantime remember on here we are all Palace and all want the same thing - the best Palace can be..!!

COYP

...

Just to be clear I think Roy is an honourable man and in his mind he is doing all he can, using all his undoubted knowledge and experience to get the right results and performances on the pitch - but it simply ain't happening..!!

...

And for the the first couple of seasons that was working, but over the last 12 months performances and results have been in decline, stats don't lie; P33, W9, D7, L17, GD -24.

Culminating in the last few weeks, where performances have been the worst in Roy's tenure and some of the worst and lack lustre I have witnessed.

I've seen others post on here that the squad is not strong enough, not enough quality, too old etc..

I don't subscribe, agree with that, IMO it's Roy's tactics that have become too tired and he no longer seems to be able to get the best out of the players. To use a cliché - he seems to have lost the dressing room, for whatever reason.

...

If Roy stubbornly hangs on I fear his time at Palace will be remembered for all the wrong reasons, similar to that of his England tenure - all people seem to remember is Iceland..!!

...

Beyond that there are no doubt many young hungry, talented and ambitious Managers out there that would jump at the chance of Managing an established London premiership with a quality and "mature" squad.

As i have said just look at Southampton and Hasenhüttl, no one had heard of him 2 years ago. If Southampton can do that, why can't Palace..!!

...

Meantime remember on here we are all Palace and all want the same thing - the best Palace can be..!!

COYP

After Villa, Roy said the term "reaction" was a cliche, before rattling off a load of cliches.

After Liverpool, Roy said that there are no excuses. Before rattling off a load of excuses.

He'd make a great politician.

WBA get their draw.
Sam has a plan and gets his players to carry it out.
Pulis did the same.
They both know what they want and train every day to make that plan work.
They also both always got the best out of the players at their disposal - especially Pulis.
Roy doesn't seem to do that - just saying.

Edited by The Dolphin (27 Dec 2020 6.27pm)

Are we in a relegation position then? ..you make it sound like we are doomed! I can assure you that when WBA play next season and their fans are allowed to watch in the ground they will be baying for big Sam to go, you know it I know it.

I think Hodgson's stolid brand of football did us well for a couple of seasons, but this season whatever was working with the defensive organization quite clearly isn't working now, and it appears that his one-dimensional game plan doesn't have the solution to our current dilemma, which is a leaky defence that can't keep a clean sheet, no matter how many square pegs he tries to fit into round holes.
Perhaps he will revert to type and have 11 behind the ball, the next few games should tell.
I hope the chairman has a successional plan in place, and a few names in mind, with a view to replacing Hodgson at the end of the season, because the role now needs some fresh input. The lack of response to the Liverpool thrashing was quite damning for Hodgson and his methods, and in the post match interview he looked lost, a look I remember from the Iceland game.
The reality is the manager always carries the can, not the players, irrespective of their individual performances.