November 4 2003

Kit Symons

Kit Symons hopes to follow the example of best mate Chris Coleman when he attempts to revive Palace's season.

Symons has been friends with ex-Palace defender Coleman, after playing along side him at Fulham. Coleman has transformed the West London club into a top-six Premiership team since his appointment as manager in April 2003.

Symons will be hoping that he will have the same success as his best friend. He said: "I'm in a great position because my best mate has been through it as a young manager offered a job out of the blue.

"Fulham could have gone down before Chris took over and if I have anything like his success I’ll be delighted.

"We’ve given ourselves a mountain to climb but it’s certainly possible that we could still sneak into the play-offs.

"Chris is my best mate. I was with him when he got the Fulham job and I just told him to go and enjoy it.

"I did speak to him between meetings with the chairman yesterday and when he stopped laughing he wished me well.

"I went out for a meal with him after the Fulham-Liverpool match on Sunday and I wish I’d have known then because I’d have picked his brains!

"He's someone I respect, whose opinion I value, but I have my own ideas and I’ll do things the way I see them.

"Football is not one big merry-go-round any more where one manager gets sacked and then ends up somewhere else. People seem to be looking at new faces these days and that's great for me."

Symons was surprised that Simon Jordan gave him the opportunity to take over the Palace helm. Symons said: "I certainly wasn’t expecting it. One minute I was talking with Steve and Terry, who I have the utmost respect for, and the next thing I knew the chairman was making me an offer.

"It’s a fantastic opportunity and it’s a great compliment I was chosen to take over for the immediate future. The chairman has told me that if I want to throw my hat in the ring permanently he would consider it."

Symons is about to take his first coaching badge, but will begin the learning process early against Preston this weekend. He expects to be in charge for at least six weeks.