PRINCES AT THE PALACE
Roy tells Eze and Olise: Time to crown you as next Zaha
ROY HODGSON is challenging Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise to follow in Wilfried Zaha’s footsteps at Crystal Palace.
Club icon Zaha, who is out of contract in the summer, returns from injury against West Ham this weekend.
But in his absence, young guns Eze, 24, and Olise, 21, have really stepped up for the Eagles.
Asked if the duo could one day have the same impact Zaha has at Selhurst Park, Hodgson said: “I do actually, but they are big boots to fill mind you.
“If they continue to progress as they have done and continue to milk the skills they have, why can’t they go on to have the sort of career Wilf has?
“It is setting the bar high. In every club you can name someone who has been an absolute icon, and you are putting a lot pressure on people to follow that. Doing that comparison bit I am not that keen on.
“But it wouldn’t be too bad a thing to say to them, ‘look, you have seen what Wilf has done at this club, do you think you can do the same?’
“That would be something to aspire to – and I’d like to think they would aspire to that.
“Eberechi has a little bit more Premier League experience, but I would expect Olise to have the same margin of progression.
“I believe the club have got two players there who could be very good for them for years to come.”
Olise needs one more assist to match the club record of nine in a Premier League season – jointly held by Zaha and Wayne Routledge.
And Eze, who has seven goals and three assists this term, is having his most productive campaign since he joined the club from QPR.
They represent the future at Selhurst Park, while Zaha, who turns 31 in November, may just represent the past.
He has been offered a new fouryear contract worth around £200,000-a-week which would make him Palace’s best-paid player ever.
But the Ivory Coast winger (left, with Hodgson) wants assurances about the club’s ambition amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.
When asked if he believes Zaha will stay, Hodgson said: “That’s not my business. That’s the club business.
“As a Palace fan it’s very important to try and keep him and I’d be more than happy if he wants to stay. But to know the situation you would need to speak to him.”