Since taking over at Palace in November the 23rd, Tony Pulis has revitalised the club.

The manager deserves all the plaudits he is currently receiving as the once dead certs for relegation have played their way out of immediate trouble and have given themselves a fighting chance of survival.

The Welsh gaffer is very canny at getting the best out of his squad and has seen instant results.

In the winter transfer window he may have waited but in the end he bought very well.

Tom Ince is a terrific prospect. An exciting, speedy wingman that will cause opposition defences a whole lot of trouble, he will also be a great outlet for many Palace counter attacks. The loan deal may be short-term but it could be a major coup if the England U21 helps keep the London outfit in the Premier League.

Joe Ledley is a player I know well from his Celtic days. He’s versatile, strong and has terrific stamina. He’ll fight for the cause whether it be in the midfield or at the back. A smart player on the ball and still only 27. Should improve in the EPL and a bargain at £450k.

With Scott Dann they have a centre back with some top flight experience. Solid and commanding at the back. His voice at the heart of defence could be invaluable for Crystal Palace in the up and coming months.

Those signings are astute ones for Pulis. He has brought in a bit of talent, experience and fight. You add that to the team and that takes some of the weight off the shoulders of the talismanic Jason Puncheon, Captain Mile Jedinak and the rejuvenated Marouane Chamakh.

If you look at the Palace side they do have a bit of get up and go about them. With players like Joel Ward, Dwight Gayle and Barry Bannan there is plenty of raw talent and potential.

Pulis also has hit-man Glenn Murray back in the fold after months out with injury. If the striker can be half the success he was in the Championship then Palace will have even more of a goal threat.

Tony Pulis has often been rubbished as a manager. ‘His teams don’t play the right style’, ‘They are too physical’ and ‘They only play one way’. Even if all those things were true and I don’t believe that they are, then what does it really matter?

Football is a results driven business and Pulis gets results. At Stoke he got them into the promised land (EPL) in the summer of 2008. They have remained there ever since. That was largely down to Pulis. In fact they were never really in a relegation dog fight. He also managed the club in Europe after seeing them finish runners up in the FA Cup in 2011.

After a brief stint out of the game Pulis has returned looking refreshed and certainly up for the fight.

But if Palace do remain in the top division it won’t just be down to one manager.

Former boss Ian Holloway has deserves a lot of credit.

After seeing Palace humbled by Fulham 4-1 in October, Holloway decided that he wasn’t the man that could keep the side in the Premier League.

He didn’t runaway from the challenge. He simply sussed out he wasn’t the best person for the job. That was a huge decision, most bosses would have stayed in the EPL and pocketed a decent wage.

Holloway left the side with dignity and highlighted Pulis as being the man that could turn things around.

So if and it still is a big if, Crystal Palace could stay up this season, the fans and owners will have two managers to thank!

Posted on February 11th, 2014 by scott
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