Ex-Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison has revealed that he was left disappointed with the club’s transfer business in the January window and also felt that the club should’ve backed Roy Hodgson.
The Eagles ended up signing only Cenk Tosun on loan from Everton, while also offloading Connor Wickham and Victor Camarasa, as well as academy players Scott Banks, Dion-Curtis Henry, Giovanni McGregor, James Daly and Jason Lokilo.
A move for West Brom’s Nathan Ferguson fell through after the 19-year-old’s medical flagged up a knee problem, while Crystal Palace also lost out to West Ham in the race to sign Jarrod Bowen.
What did he say?
Morrison told talkSPORT: “You’ve got to back him. Roy Hodgson has done an unbelievable job at Crystal Palace, and with the injuries he’s had as well recently, it’s been superb – credit to him and they should’ve backed him in the window. There should’ve, at least, been three of four players come through.”
Couldn’t agree more
Since stepping into the hotseat in September 2017, Steve Parish and those on the board at Selhurst Park have given the former England manager little funds to work with – the only players that have arrived for a fee have been Cheikhou Kouyate for £11m, Alexander Sorloth for £9m, Jordan Ayew for £2.5m and James McCarthy for £3m.
A £25.5m outlay in almost two-and-a-half years in the job is not sufficient backing for a Premier League side, especially seeing as the Eagles’ squad is creaking – of the players currently at the club, only Jairo Riedewald and Max Meyer are under the age of 27, not including 18-year-old Brandon Pierrick.
Hodgson badly needed backing in January with his squad pushed to its limits, although only Tosun arrived – in fact, that cannot even be considered as an extra body in when Wickham has since left Selhurst Park.
Premier League experts will get full marks: The ultimate quiz on top flight transfer flops…
Morrison is right – Hodgson has done well with what he has at his disposal, and the club should’ve backed him.
In other news, this piece of transfer news is testament to Dougie Freedman’s fine scouting…