Crystal Palace to offer Dougie Freedman a new deal

Simon Johnson
24 Jan 2012

Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman will be rewarded with a new contract regardless of whether he guides his team to the Carling Cup Final against Cardiff tonight.

Chairman Steve Parish believes the 37-year-old can go on to become a "top manager" and is keen to extend his deal, which runs out at the end of next season.

A goal from Anthony Gardner at Selhurst Park two weeks ago gave Palace a 1-0 lead for the second leg of their semi-final in Wales.

The winners will face either Manchester City or Liverpool at Wembley next month and if Palace progress tonight, it will be their first major final since 1990 when they lost to Manchester United in an FA Cup Final replay.

Freedman has impressed since taking on his first managerial role 12 months ago when he succeeded George Burley at Palace.

He led them to a stunning Carling Cup quarter-final win against Manchester United at Old Trafford in November and the club are just six points off the Championship play-off places.
Parish plans to have talks with the former Scotland striker at the end of the campaign over an extension.

The chairman told Standard Sport: "Dougie is doing a great job. We're all working together to try and take the club ­forward. We have the right manager for us. At the end of the season we will sit down and talk about a new contract but we won't let that get in the way of what we're trying to do now.

"We still have a chance of the play-offs and reaching a final. Dougie, me and the other owners are completely focused on improving this club. It is important that whoever is ­manager wants to be managing your club. He is a young guy, we have given him a chance and he has grabbed it with both hands. He has everything going for him to become one of the top managers.

"I deal with him regularly and get on well with him. We're both learning as we go a little bit, which is good because nobody feels they have all the answers. We're all in it together, there is not a blame culture at the club. He is bright, hard working and committed and has assembled a good team around him."

Palace could be forgiven for sitting back and holding on to their lead but Freedman insists his side will go for it in Cardiff. He said: "When the opportunities open up, we'll attack in the right manner."