As soap operas go, Crystal Palace Football Club would currently give Eastenders a run for it’s money in the drama stakes.
With only one game of the season gone, Palace have already lost a manager, lost a game and have now seen Sporting Director Iain Moody resign. Oh and the club very nearly appointed a manager who is under investigation for allegedly sending homophobic, sexist and racist texts, to said Sporting Director, whilst in their previous employment together.
Reading the above list of woe, one could presume we were talking about Newcastle United, the other ‘naughty child’ of the EPL, but sadly not, this is all happening to those mighty Eagles. And even stormier seas could lay ahead too.
Two big fat black clouds have suddenly appeared over SE25, and they are threatening to completely undermine the clubs’ second year in the EPL. Sporting Director, Iain Moody, it has now emerged, is under investigation for both alleged improper text conversations with ex-Cardiff City manager, Malky Mackay, and potential foul play and financial irregularities whilst operating in his previous role, alongside Mackay at City.
Whether or not these allegations come to fruition, alongside the further questions raised of two City players leaking team information to Palace officials ahead of the vital EPL relegation clash between the two clubs last Spring will hopefully soon become immaterial to Palace.
Today it was learned that Iain Moody will be leaving his role at the club, whilst a bullet was certainly dodged yesterday when Palace learnt of the imminent storm surrounding their soon to be appointed’ new manager Mackay. Ridiculed once again by all, Palace pulled the plug on the deal at the eleventh hour – in what is now seen as a very shrewd move indeed.
To be perfectly blunt, if Iain Moody and Malky Mackay are found to be guilty of the charges of texting each other in a sexist, racist and homophobic language then they will have both abused the privileged positions they held, and neither will find it easy to get back into football again, not just at the highest levels, but at any level at all. If both are found to be at fault for irregularity in transfer dealings, their names will be forever tarnished. The only slight irony in all if this is the sudden vindication in the much maligned behaviour of City’s erratic owner, Vincent Tan.
The Moody and Mackay saga is, as mentioned above though, not the only problem that currently binds Palace and Cardiff. The ‘team leak’ story is one that won’t vanish, and Tan and City seem hell bent on enforcing retrospective punishment on the Eagles.
Proving any foul play on Palace before would have been seen to be very difficult, as at the time it was widely reported that free falling City would have to ‘just get on with it’, or at least grow up, and accept the 3-0 defeat, and certain relegation, with a good grace. But with Moody’s text messages now under intense scrutiny, who is to say that there wasn’t any foul play, and that Palace had played dirty in order to win a must win game? I would genuinely hope as both a Palace and football fan that none of this carries any truth, but it is certainly a distraction that Steve Parish and the Palace board could do without.
The Premier League recently released a ruling stating that Palace were in breach of Rule B.16, which states that “every club shall behave towards each other club and the League with the utmost good faith.” Cardiff are reportedly planning on suing Palace over the affair.
With Palace’s second game of the campaign against West Ham United only two days away, these are issues that provide both an unwelcome disturbance, and are stories that if not dealt with in a proper manner, could damage morale within both the players, and the club as a whole.
Having dodged another potential management bullet yesterday by the thankful rejection of Glenn Hoddle, Parish will now need to move quickly to reinstall exterior credibility and respect from throughout the game in his football club. Or, in simpler terms, this football club needs a manager, and some direction – now.
It’s not the time to start holding your breath, but if media reports today are to be believed, the initial ‘back up’ choice of manager is being heavily tipped to take on the Palace job imminently. Ex-Tottenham Hotspur chief, Tim Sherwood, will be appointed, we are informed. The same Sherwood who was ignored by Parish after a successful first interview last Sunday, is now set to ‘forgive and forget’ the snub, such is his desire to get ‘stuck in’ to his own managerial role.
If Sherwood can finally land this role, then Palace fans must wish him luck as their new leader. He seems a man with a strong opinion. I think he will need it. Some of this circus is admittedly not entirely down to Palace, but how the club conducts itself from here on in will be totally transparent, and the seeds of a difficult season ahead have certainly been sown.
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