October 12 2007

Selhurst Park

And another one takes the stage. Jamesey reflects on combative ex-Blades gaffer Neil Warnock and the Jordan management philosophy.

Steve Coppell's red and blue armee...

Alan Smith's red and blue armee...

Steve Bruce's red and blue armee...

Trevor Francis's red and blue armee...

Steve Kember's red and blue armee...

Iain Dowie's red and blue armee...

Peter Taylor's red and blue armee..

And now folks, for the time being anyway,

Neil Warnock's red and blue armee...

And that's not counting a couple of caretakerships. Blimey it's becoming difficult for us older folk, whose memories aren't quite what they were, to remember who the manager is this week.

First, let me say, as a loyal Palace supporter, that I wish Neil Warnock every success. Of course, I do, for if he does his job well, CPFC will be successful and that will bring a smile to my face and to many thousands of other Eagles fans.

And Peter Taylor, for whom I have the highest regard, has proved to be not up to the job which many of us hoped he could do well enough.

I think if you cast your eyes to the top of this column once more, you will see that we have now had eight managers in seven or so years of Jordanism.

That is the worrying aspect for me. With one exception (Steve Bruce) Simon Jordan squabbled with or sacked every appointment he has made.

Eight managers in seven years is definitely not the way to a football club's long-term success and stability.

I accept that a football club is not like an ordinary commercial business and I have repeated that sentiment many times in this column over the years.

When I ran a small department for a commercial magazine publisher, if I had picked a series of employees whom I continually had to sack or litigate against, I would have been out on my backside pretty quick.

But, of course, Simon is the power and the glory at Selhurst and normal rules do not apply.

Good luck, Neil Warnock, you will certainly need it to work for a boss with such a total lack of judgment. Let's hope you are the exception in the long list.

Email Jamesey with your comments to Jevans3704@aol.com

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