ROBERT Sutherland, from Palace fanzine Five Year Plan, brings us his latest view from SE25...
THE relief was palpable. It had been nine years since Palace last won an away game in the top division. It had been months since the club had won a game at all. Frustration, sadness and impatience had taken hold as Steve Parish and co. did their due diligence before appointing a new manager – the fear that Palace had given up had set in.
But football is a crazy, organic representation of life as a whole. Just when you think things have reached their worst possible point and there is no hope of recovery, Palace find a way to re-inject some excitement and purpose to the proceedings. Forget relegation – the win at Hull City gave Palace hope, and as a club, we thrive on that stuff.
Keith Millen is the man to be credited with setting the foundations of an unlikely recovery. Realising that the club's chances of staying up would rely on defensive solidity, his approach has been one of pragmatism and defiance. As a Palace fan, Millen understands the importance of the club's status as a Premier League club; that he has been reassured about his role at the club by newly-appointed manager Tony Pulis is news that Palace supporters can all rejoice in.
What Pulis will bring is a greater level of organisation, defensively and across the pitch. Players will be expected to play their roles with greater responsibility.
There will be a greater reliance on set pieces, throw ins and corners. There's a good chance that Pulis will approach the remainder of this season with the same attitude and directness that his Stoke side featured, albeit with a different set of tools – Palace just don't have the same kind of squad that Stoke had.
Pulis has also made it clear that he's not just at Palace to fight fires, but that he's relishing the challenge he's faced with.
While the club had an opportunity to appoint a variety of managers following plenty of interviews, Pulis clearly impressed the most – not only does he bring organisation but he also brings a more comprehensive approach to managing the club. His comments in the press conference showed that he'd done his research and understood the task at hand.
The remainder of this season will be about results like the one at Hull. Fighting against all odds, grabbing solitary goals but producing performances that fans can be proud of. That's the Palace way, isn't it?
