De Boer told to lead Palace revolution
The clash in styles between Crystal Palace and their new manager, Frank de Boer, was evident even as he expressed doubts over the club’s away kit because his mentor, Johan Cruyff, did not like black shirts.
De Boer dutifully posed with chairman Steve Parish for pictures with the new home and away kits, but it is clear that a new way of thinking will be required at Palace to help the Dutchman succeed.
Quite what Cruyff would make of De Boer’s chances of introducing Total Football to the squad built for survival by Sam Allardyce is anybody’s guess.
It is easier to speculate that the Dutch genius would have doubted Parish’s decision to arrive for De Boer’s unveiling on a three-year contract in trousers so short they showed off his sockless ankles.
Parish even declared that “if teams give us the ball, typically, we lose” as he highlighted the areas in which Palace need to improve under De Boer to avoid another relegation battle.
But that is not to say that the Premier League’s new odd couple cannot be successful together. De Boer has a point to prove after 85 disastrous days in charge at Inter Milan last autumn and the likeable Parish is committed to taking Palace forward.
“I don’t want to cling on to Premier League safety, only to fall out of it and still be the same club,” said Parish. “I look at Southampton and Everton, it’s very difficult for those teams to suddenly get relegated in one season. It’s hard to see that because of the structure and what they’ve got in place.
“That’s where I want this club to be. It’s a belief system at the club we need to generate. It’s a simple problem to me. We’re eighth or ninth in the league away from home and third bottom in the league at home.
“We need to find a way of breaking down teams that give us the ball. The technical detail is Frank’s world, but if teams give us the ball, typically, we lose. If we give them the ball, we beat them and that’s top teams as well.”
De Boer spent 11 years at Ajax as a player and guided the club to four Eredivisie titles during six years as manager, during which time he turned down the opportunity to take over at Liverpool before Brendan Rodgers was appointed.
“Ajax is famous for Total Football, when Cruyff started in the Seventies with Rinus Michels,” said De Boer. “He continued that until he died a few years ago. So it’s in our DNA to try and play tactical and technical football, to try to dominate. If you do that well it’s a plus because it’s attractive.
“I try to play dominant, but also know that you already think defensively. In the Barcelona time of Pep Guardiola, everybody was involved with attacking but also defending – that’s what I want to bring to this club.”
Parish, however, admitted that the noisy Selhurst Park regulars are a little less discerning than the Ajax and Barcelona supporters, who regard football as an art. “What is an attractive style?” asked Parish. “Our fans, I don’t think they are particularly fussed about the style we play.
“You know, Frank talks a lot about players who can beat people one on one. We’ve got that and our fans aren’t too discerning. If you started knocking it all round the defence and into midfield and back again... you need a purpose.
“It’s the Premier League, fans want to see goalmouth action. Outside of that, if you win games everybody is happy.”