Palace Boss Expect Coventry Game To Be His Last

Last updated : 07 January 2011 By Covsupport News Service/RD

Dougie Freedman will bring his Crystal Palace side to Coventry on Saturday for the FA Cup tie, but expects that it will be his last as caretaker boss.

Freedman took over the reins at Palace after George Burley was sacked last week and then guided Palace to a 1-0 win over relegation rivals Preston North End and many Eagles fans want him to either be appointed as a permanent manager or, at the very least to be asked to stay on until the end of the season.

However the 36 year old Scot is expecting a new manager will be appointed and he will bring in his own staff leaving him to find another post elsewhere, but that doesn't mean he will not try to win the FA Cup tie at fellow Championship club Coventry City.

A stoical Freedman said: "I think for the good of the club the situation has to be resolved sooner rather than later. It's not a problem for me to keep going but I think for the sake of the supporters and the club itself everyone needs to know who the new man will be."

"There's no doubt the squad needs strengthening and we're in the transfer window so time is ticking down."

Freedman isn't totally out of the ruining for the vacancy and was due to have a meeting with Palace chairman Steve Parish yesterday to discuss his future at the club. He is well aware that he is not the favourite for the job, mainly because of his lack of experience.

"Who knows if I'm ready," he said. "I only stopped playing six months ago, but I feel I've learnt a lot in that time. I learnt a lot from Paul Hart and I learnt a lot from George. The owners will decide who takes over no one else."

Freedman found himself thrown in at the deep end when he took over the running of the club because he lost one loan player Julian Bennett and signed Alex Morrow on a two and a half year contract.

He has also had to try and select a team from an injury ravished squad for the Coventry cup tie with Ambrose likely to miss out and Pablo Counago given at 50%, but Claude Davis will be fit to play

Freedman said: "Anyone who thinks I'll be picking the reserves is badly mistaken. I''ll select a side who I think will win the game. I want to make it two wins from two."