Crystal Palace are considering former Brighton and Hove Albion manager Graham Potter in what may be a controversial choice to replace Premier League veteran Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.
That is according to Robbie Earle; the Wimbledon legend pulling back the curtain and revealing a ‘a bit of intel’ about what he’s hearing regarding the goings’ on at Crystal Palace.
Hodgson, despite working miracles since returning to his old stomping ground, is unlikely to be handed a longer-term deal. is current contract expires in a matter of weeks.
Lille boss Paulo Fonsenca and Dutchman Arne Slot – who guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title this weekend – are two of the early frontrunners to replace the soon-to-be-76-year-old, though Earle claims to have heard that there is another – rather more contentious – option under consideration too.
Graham Potter in at Crystal Palace?
“I sense – just a bit of intel – that Graham Potter is their choice. They believe Graham Potter is a good fit for Crystal Palace,” Earle says on The Two Robbies show.
“Now, whether Graham Potter feels that is the right job for him after Chelsea…
“There’s a bit of Brighton/Palace thing going on there that you’d have to work out. But Graham Potter is an interesting one.”
Crystal Palace and Brighton and Hove Albion, while not your traditional derby, are not exactly the most comfortable of bedfellows. Would a man who made his name in the Premier League at The Amex really risk tearing up all that goodwill by taking over at Brighton’s arch rivals?
Storming to safety
There is, however, much to like about the prospect of Potter at Crystal Palace. Chelsea failure aside; the former Swansea City coach has an excellent track record with young, technically-gifted players. Ebere Eze, Michael Olise, Marc Guehi, Cheick Doucoure and co would surely relish the prospect of working alongside a man who laid the foundations for Roberto de Zerbi’s success on the South Coast.
Crystal Palace beat AFC Bournemouth 2-0 on Saturday, moving onto 43 points while proving that no one in red-and-blue has swapped their studs for sandcastles just yet. Beat Fulham and Nottingham Forest in their final two matches and Palace will finish with one more point than they did in 2021/22 under Patrick Vieira.
“If you are (chairman) Steve Parish, you come into the summer and you are not as worried as you were,” Earle adds, Palace’s relegation fears put well-and-truly in the rearview mirror.
“And if things don’t go well in talks with other people, you’ve got Roy there who can hold the ship.”
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