When the wheels came off, though, the slide was almost inexorable. A string of poor results left Palace going into the last day unsure of their play-off berth. Holloway’s thirty-two games had brought 11 wins, 12 draws, and nine defeats. It was a moderate return which caused serious discord among his club’s support.
Come the crunch, however, and the aptitude of a real football man has shone through. Pitted against high-profile greenhorns – and the considerably more in vogue – Gus Poyet and Gianfranco Zola, this underrated character of West Country stock has out-thought and out-maneuvered his play-off adversaries.
The evidence of lessons learned was plain against both Brighton and Watford. It was there in the painstaking discipline of Palace’s defensive unit, and the stationing directly in front of that rear-guard of the controlled Mile Jedinak and Kagisho Dikgacoi. When injury forced Dikgacoi off early in the Wembley final, Holloway could think on his feet. Rather than ask Stuart O’Keefe to fill the same role for which he would be unsuited, the inexperienced former Southend man was given slightly freer reign, while the exceptional Jedinak dropped ever deeper.
Holloway’s latterly more sober approach hasn’t been to the complete cost of attacking verve. Holloway raves about Wilfried Zaha, and accordingly urges his players to get the ball to their young colleague at every opportunity. There is a heartening trust in youth. Jonathan Williams, at 19, looks born to play top level football and is suitably given his head in this team. Holloway’s early introduction of O’Keefe on such a huge stage, despite the midfielder’s lack of game time over an injury afflicted nascent career, showed remarkable – and well-placed – faith.
Vitally, Holloway is a manager who improves his players and, as exhibited by the custom in which his teams follow their manager’s instruction to the letter, has their implicit trust.
The explicit development under Holloway’s tutelage in the technical ability of, among others, Alex Baptiste, Charlie Adam, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, and Stephen Crainey during their time at Blackpool, is testament to his coaching attributes. Furthermore, a keen eye for the right player to fit his mould is a skill that will serve Palace well as they seek to identify the men to sustain their elite presence.
Elliot Grandin, Craig Cathcart, and Matt Phillips all came in under the radar to flourish at Bloomfield Road. The tried and trusted Stephen Dobbie and Kevin Phillips have been stellar late season additions at Palace, but Holloway needs to cast his net wide in preparation for August.
Danny Gabbidon and Damien Delaney were impeccable as a defensive pair in seeing their team through three play-off matches unbreached. Similar to the full-back areas though, that part of the Palace unit will require extra mobility to perform consistently against a host of potent attacking artilleries.
Jedinak is an expert in his field, but will require willing legs around him. If Zaha is not to return for one more year – a move which would surely make sense for a player so blessed but with much to learn – additional pace for the flanks is a must.
Glenn Murray’s 30 goals made him the Championship’s leading scorer for the campaign, and were key to Palace’s endeavours. He will be side-lined for the first half of next season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Phillips will be 40 when the 2013/2014 season kicks-off. Aaron Wilbraham, who played in Murray’s stead against Watford, has not scored a goal this term. Clearly, at least two strikers will be on the boss’ wish list.
It is up to Holloway to find the right men. He knows the size of the task ahead. Speaking after promotion was secured the Eagles’ newly revered manager admitted that he would now “scratch my head and wonder ‘just how are we going to stay in the Premier League?”
Perhaps with the lack of cash that was available to him at Blackpool firmly in mind, Holloway added;
‘It all starts now for me because the minute we kick off next season we’re on a hiding to nothing. We’ve got to make sure we can compete and I want to stay there’.
With their atmospheric old-school ground and loyal and vociferous support, not to mention their healthy collection of dynamic young bucks and solid older heads, Palace’s presence will add to the Premier League.
Ian Holloway’s occupation of the Selhurst dugout might just be the decisive factor in making sure that presence lasts beyond its traditional single year. As for the doom-laden statistics concerning past play-off winners, the latest clubs to ascend through that route were Swansea City and West Ham United – and they’re doing just fine.
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