Roy’s fire still burns brightly
CRYSTAL PALACE stalwart Scott Dann sees no sign of Roy Hodgson’s managerial powers waning after he became the oldest boss in Premier League history.
Hodgson is 72 years and 194 days young, eclipsing the late Sir Bobby Robson as the most senior manager to take charge of a top-flight club in the modern era.
And Dann says the fire still burns brightly within Hodgson, who celebrated his achievement by guiding Palace to an
FA Cup fifth-round win at Doncaster
– only the third time he has led a side into the quarter-finals.
“He’s done a great job since coming into this football club,” said Dann. “He might be the oldest manager but he’s still driven. And he’ll be thinking the same as we are.
“Every competition he plays in, he’s a winner and he wants to win. You can see that in every round – we’re fielding strong sides, and every time we play in this competition he’s pushing us to get through.”
Dann says memories of Palace’s 2016 2-1 final defeat by Manchester United still linger, given they were so close to a first major trophy.
He said: “There is a bitter taste when you lose a final. But when you are involved, it’s not easy to reach and it gives you the motivation to get there again.
“You can see what it means to our fans too. Doncaster was a difficult game for us but they were as loud as ever, pushing us all the way. It’s a great competition.
“There’s not too much said in the early round when you’re in the thick of your league fixtures, but you get through them and start seeing you’re close to Wembley – that’s what we spoke about before Doncaster.
“Now we’re one game away from getting to the semi-finals so hopefully we can go further.”