Discussing new manager Patrick Vieira, signings such as Michael Olise, the Academy redevelopment and direction of the future, Parish addressed a wide range of issues.
Find out what he had to say in the video below.
Steve Parish talks Vieira appointment, Olise and upcoming plans
Amidst an eventful few weeks for Crystal Palace, Chairman Steve Parish sat down with Palace TV to update supporters on the club’s situation.
On Vieira
“It's been a busy summer already. Obviously the search for the manager was a difficult one. We saw a lot of people. Trying to find the right fit for the football club obviously was very important, trying to find someone we felt would really work with us on all the recruitment and changes in summer. So we’re really delighted that Patrick has agreed to join us, because he showed that he really wanted to come here.
“He’s had a break and is ready to go at it again. He really felt there was a fit between him and this club. He’d done a lot of work looking at the club, understanding the playing staff. He knew exactly the situation we’re in and was very excited about the project.”
On transfers
“We’ve got to bring players in this summer, everybody knows that. We won’t be stupid in the market, we’ve got to make our money go as far as possible. And the market’s depressed and we need to take advantage of that where we can. But we know we’ve got to bring players in.
“It’ll be a blend of experience and youth, I think, and obviously we haven’t quite concluded all of the out of contract players. There will be some players coming back and hopefully we get the right blend in the squad.”
On Olise
“Dougie [Freedman] has done an incredible amount of work over the last 15-18 months. Obviously this situation we planned for, we knew we would have spaces in the squad. Dougie and his team have to take huge credit for bringing Michael to the club because there was a lot of competition.
“Identifying talent is one thing, but recruiting talent into the club is quite another. Obviously having spaces for players to play is very important, but it’s saying the right things. Patrick was there at the end, as well, and was able to lend his considerable presence and experience to Michael. But Dougie’s really got to take all the credit for that one; he’s done a huge amount of work. And hopefully it’s a sign of things to come.”
On the Academy redevelopment
“It’s so exciting, I can’t tell you. Every single day a new bit is finished. I think by the end of the summer, phase one and phase two will be complete. It’s a breath-taking facility for this football club; it would be a breath-taking facility for any football club, if I’m honest. It’s very much ‘us’, I think – it represents us well, but at a completely different level to anything we had.”
On the future
“All of the fans, as long as they see progress on and off the pitch and direction, will really get a sense of well-being and hope. That’s what we’ve got to have for the new season. We know it’s going to be tough, especially at the beginning.
“We’ve got a tough start and have brought new players in and that always creates a little bit of flux in any situation. But we feel we’ve got good people at the football club and the right people at the football club to get that right.”