ALAN PARDEW will celebrate a year in charge of Crystal Palace today leading a crusade for European football just 12 months after staring relegation in the face.
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| Alan Pardew wants Crystal Palace to match his ambitions and start winning trophies |
And now Pardew one of the most sought after managers in the Barclays Premier League, has put his faith in Palace providing him with the honour and glory that he admits he so craves.
He has already been linked with the England job, and would be one of the favourites if Chelsea - tomorrow's visitors to Selhurst Park - decided to appoint an English manager.
On New Years Day 2015, Palace were second from bottom firmly entrenched in the relegation zone. Now they are 6th from the top with Pardew eager to do even better.
He says: 'I am convinced Palace can match my ambition in the game, and that is to start winning trophies. I am sure this club can go forward and achieve what I want.
'Last year, I questioned whether I should make the move from Newcastle to go back to my roots, there were very real doubts because Palace at that time had about the same number of points as Sunderland have now.
'But I knew there was a fighting spirit in the club, it was up to me to get them to produce it, not just go into a game thinking they might win it, but, going out to make sure they did.
'I had to get the attitude right and that's a massive thing for a club like Palace to have. I just had to make them believe, and the response has been fantastic.
'I wouldn't swap my time at Newcastle, because they were such a massive club, but I found at Palace I was able to improve the attitude and application, and in football you find the landscape can change very quickly.'
At Toon one afternoon, Pardew was confronted by angry fans massing on the front lawn of his garden and, calling for his resignation.
Two week, ago he met up with Palace supporters in a bar at Selhurst Park and enjoyed their company and a beer for nearly three hours. He is seen now as a manager who can make dreams come true, even his own.
One of them would be to beat the champions this afternoon and he goes on.
'Chelsea have had a great side but something has been lost on the way this season.
'The players will know full well they have let Jose Mourinho down, but its nonsense to suggest they could go down.
'They will be favourites to beat us, and really both clubs should be in opposite positions in the League.
'But they were one of the sides I supported when I lived in West London, and so it is an ambition of mine to beat them. We got a 2-1 victory at The Bridge at the start of the season, and its not too many times you get to do the double over them.'
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