This is spot on. My only observation is that I don't think Palace lack ambition as such. We just can't spend any more than we do because of FFP. We are at the glass ceiling, and the team is roughly as good as it can be (in terms of results certainly) until the club itself gets bigger and better, which Parish is trying to do.

Perhaps you and the recent posters should post on the 'Roy IN' thread.

Seriously, we need to distinguish between ambition and reality. I think SP is still a fan and therefore have no doubt that, like the rest of us fans, he wants to see Palace develop, grow bigger and be successful in the PL. Perhaps some of us more mature fans are afraid that this might not be achieved in our lifetime (or during the remaining years we are fit enough to attend games) and want to see a transformation today or next season.

The reality has already been stated in various posts, namely,
- we have limited funds to spend so struggle to compete with the bigger and or wealthier clubs.
- we have major shareholders who seem to be reluctant to shell out more than the minimum to keep us afloat in the PL.
- we have one of the worst (and smallest) grounds in the PL (and one that is worse than a number of grounds of Championship and even League 1 clubs (League 1 Ipswich have a nice ground, for example).
- our board has shown some intent by developing the Academy and gaining a status upgrade but the fruit of that will not be seen in the first team squad for a couple of years or so.
- the purchase of Eze and Ferguson are concrete evidence of a desire to freshen up the squad as well as bring in younger players for the longer term.

We are making progress, albeit slowly BUT we are vying with other clubs who are also making progress, many of whom have advantages over us.

It is my honest opinion that it is vital that the club remain in the PL and yes even if it means turgid football most weeks. As a ST holder whose return journey to home games is around 7 hours, I'm prepared to grin and bear it because I love our club and believe things will improve (with or without Roy Hodgson).

Edited by doombear (12 Jan 2021 2.29pm)

I actually agree with the general thrust of your comments.

I have perused the plethora of Roy In/Out sentiments.I appreciate the 'Bigger picture' and the constraints involved and I have not waged any campaign calling for the removal of our experienced and well-respected manager.

Of course I have been critical of some torrid performances and our style of play and often been incandescent with rage but as I have asserted numerous times we have a 'Dad's Army' squad with many in the twilight of their careers and alas past their best.
Mr Hodgson,despite an ageing squad and insignificant backing in the transfer market has ensured our survival for 3 seasons and there is every chance this could be extended to a 4th season.
The football has been far from entertaining but the end has justified the means.

Not at the moment, no. But we certainly were in choppy waters.

Whilst it's incredibly hard to establish where Palace (or anyone) are with FFP, the last published financial report contained this from Parish:

'During the current financial year 2019/20 we had used the proceeds of the Aaron Wan-Bissaka sale to comply with FFP and pay down our bank debt leaving only some relatively small deferred transfer payments outstanding....

....Aside from the necessary sale of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, key players were retained and prudent and opportune acquisitions were made, bolstering the squad at relatively low cost, whilst removing the danger of breaching Financial Fair Play Regulations. External debt was repaid, putting the Club in a good position to invest for the future'.

There is also talk of the owners having provided a further £25m in long term loans last year, suggesting the club could not sustain even our relatively meagre spending without being propped up.

One way or another, we reached, then went beyond, the limit of what we can spend in the last few years.

Edited by TheBigToePunt (12 Jan 2021 4.02pm)

We need a good, untested champ manager, that can bring with him a couple of good, younger signings that he knows well.

Add to to that a couple of Prem quality signing and we good.

This was once a quality forum....

So your saying we can field a starting 11 where almost 50% would be in a top 10 side. Sort out the other 50% and we are laughing.

The real question is how many would get in the starting line up of Sheffield United, Burnley, Brighton, Leeds, Fulham, West Brom.

Almost all of them I would say. That's why staying up shouldn't be regarded as doing the impossible anymore and now the baseline of fans expectations.

I don't think it is regarded as impossible. But it must be acknowledged that it's not easy.

As for being the baseline of fans expectations, there may be something in that but in my opinion that expectation is driven by Steve Parish.

Old, Ungifted and White

I think we are all looking into this too much, we are still in the Premiership, Roy has done a great job but we need some fresh eyes to look at this team and how we can improve it...

Get through this season and look forward to season 21/22 when hopefully we can go to matches again and get behind the team...

Yes but, is this Roy setting out the objective or is it SP and the board?

R.I.P. DJ Hardline

CPFC2010

Indeed Willo, and it has been much discussed on this thread. However, how often has Hodgson eased the burden of these poor unfortunates by naming a bench with a few younger players on it, and giving them a 30 minute run out? Hardly ever.