I’m so proud to be in big league
De Boer lands Palace job and is ordered to help Eagles soar away from drop fight
NEW Crystal Palace boss Frank de Boer last night declared his pride at finally landing a Premier League gig – then was told to end the club’s annual anxiety-ridden relegation fights.
The Dutchman was unveiled as Sam Allardyce’s Selhurst Park successor on a three-year contract, ending the Eagles’ month-long search for a boss.
Ex-Rangers star de Boer lands in England after being linked with numerous clubs in recent years including Liverpool, Spurs, Southampton and Everton.
The 47-year-old won four straight titles as Ajax manager before an ill-fated spell at Inter Milan where he was binned after just 85 days.
He’s confident of repairing his reputation in England and said: “A friend congratulated me, saying, ‘You can be very proud, you’re one of 20 managers in the biggest league in the world’.
“I feel the same way. I’m manager of a fantastic club and looking forward to starting.
“It was a learning experience at Inter but with my experience with Ajax I’m ready to manage a Premier League club.”
Chairman Steve Parish admits Palace “got away with it” last season when they dodged the drop. He reckons de Boer – the eighth permanent manager of his seven-year reign – is the man to steer them to calmer waters but has told him establishing Palace as a Premier League fixture comes before playing like his former clubs Ajax and Barcelona.
Parish said: “We’ve been in the bottom three two seasons running for home form. Sooner or later that is going to catch up with us.
“We got away with it last year. Beating Chelsea away was a pretty lucky victory, Arsenal and Liverpool we deserved it but you won’t do that every year.
“We need to build a cushion and Frank’s No.1 brief is to reduce mine and every supporter’s anxiety.
“The stress is almost unbearable. Some people in this room won’t have a job if we get relegated.”
De Boer insisted he wasn’t thinking about using the Palace job as a stepping stone to bigger things in management. And Parish added: “If in three years time he manages Real Madrid it means he will be a success at this club.
“If I had that problem that Real Madrid or Man United want Frank and we have a fantastic club than that would be a luxury problem.”
De Boer is relishing the challenge laid down by Parish which also includes developing the club’s youngsters and “evolving” Palace’s playing style. Both targets fit nicely with his own philosophy which is heavily influenced by his days at Ajax and Barcelona and by late Dutch great Johan Cruyff. De Boer said: “It is an exciting project. To be a solid, stable club, not to struggle against relegation. Crystal Palace are famous for the youth academy and I will give youth the chance when they are good enough. “Ajax is famous for the academy and I had the feeling when I arrived there that young players wanted to leave. “I wanted to bring confidence in youth back and I want that feeling here. “Ajax is famous for Total Football so it’s in our DNA to try to play tactical and technical. In the Barcelona time of Pep Guardiola everybody was involved with attacking but also defending. That’s what I want to bring here.”