Crystal Palace should think outside the box in pursuit of a Patrick Vieira replacement with former River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo ‘available’, former Premier League midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker tells the BBC.
Reports suggesting that Roy Hodgson – he of ‘free bus pass’ age – could return to Selhurst Park on a short-term deal is, in short, rather damning.
Hodgson, after all, was ushered out the door during the end of 2020/21. His exit and the subsequent appointment of Vieira heralding what was supposed to be a bold new era at Selhurst Park. The 75-year-old’s potential return, then, smacks of desperation.
Then again, this is the situation Crystal Palace find themselves in; a rather desperate one.
Sunday’s 4-1 thumping at Arsenal means they have won just one of their last 15 Premier League games. Hodgson, at least, knows the league, knows the club, knows the players (well, most of them), and should need little time to adapt to life back in familiar surroundings.
A short-term solution to an immediate problem. A band aid slapped on a broken leg.
Who will replace Patrick Vieira as Crystal Palace manager?
“Palace right now are a rudderless ship,” says Reo-Coker, former West Ham captain and England U21 international. “That’s the problem. There isn’t really a sense of direction there.”
Hodgson, if he was to return, would likely only sign a deal until May. Looking to the longer-term, Reo-Coker believes a team lacking an identity and a clear style of play – after a bright start, Vieira panicked before swapping possession and pressing for pragmatism – need a coach capable of putting his stamp on a talented young squad capable of better.
“If you want to change that direction, I would probably go for managers who are doing something, like Abel Ferreira the manager of Palmeiras in Brazil,” Reo-Coker adds. “He’s won the Copa Libertadores twice. He works well with young players.
“Also the former River Plate manager (Marcelo Gallardo) doesn’t have a job right now. At one point they called River Plate ‘Riverpool’ because of his style of play. He is a great manager there that is available.”
Gallardo, who is learning English and won 14 trophies in eight years at River Plate, recently rebuffed the advances of Leeds and Southampton. Th Argentine will wait until the summer to decide on his next step.
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