Andros Townsend revealed just how close Crystal Palace were to landing Luicen Favre as their next manager.
The Premier League club are still to appoint Roy Hodgson’s replacement and have been looking at a number of targets.
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Nuno Espirito Santo was on the verge of being appointed before talks broke down at the 11th hour.
Palace turned their attention to former Nice, Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund boss Favre.
Again, the club thought they’d landed their man before he pulled out at the last minute and wanted to take an extended break from football.
Townsend, who’s contract with Palace expires this month, joined Jim White and Simon Jordan on talkSPORT on Friday and spoke about the manager situation.
talkSPORT
And asked about Favre, he said: “I heard it was almost done. I heard they were getting ready to start the work permit process and he was getting ready to start his quarantine before pre-season.
“I don’t understand how you get through the negotiation stage and interview stage, you agree the contract and then at the last minute you say you don’t have the motivation for it. I don’t understand.
“I know there are ten [players] out of contract. There were 11 and Christian Benteke signed. To the rest of us they have said they want to wait until the new manager comes in.
“I spoke to someone who said the new manager is supposed to come in at the end of this week, start of next, and we’ll sit down.
“But with Favre turning it down, I’m sure that has put the process back a bit.”
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It will now be back to the drawing board for Palace as they look to swiftly appoint a new coach to get their pre-season preparations going.
talkSPORT’s transfer expert Alex Crook revealed some potential names who have been on their shortlist, which includes Paulo Fonseca who was close to taking over at Tottenham earlier this month.
“What a fiasco that is,” Crook said. “They’ve got so far as applying for a work permit, agreed terms on a three-year contact and suddenly decides he doesn’t want the job after all.
“It sums up the manager merry-go-round this summer.
“What I’m being told is that they will revisit the list of candidates they’ve already crossed off. It’s quite a lengthy list.
“One they’ve mentioned to me as being on their long list this morning is Paulo Fonseca, who flirted with Tottenham. That long list is getting shorter.
“I know Steve Cooper has admirers there. Frank Lampard and maybe Eddie Howe has been looked at in the past.
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“Where Palace go next is anyone’s guess. What I do know is they did definitely went as far as interviewing Patrick Vieira, the Arsenal legend and France World Cup winner may get a call back.”
When Swansea manager Cooper’s name was put to Townsend, he said: “We have Jordan Ayew, who’s brother plays for Swansea with Steve Cooper, he’s said nothing but good things about him.
“He’s got Swansea playing good football, they were unlucky to miss out on that promotion.
“Good things are coming out the dressing room [about Cooper]. It’s one of those – you suss out a manager in the first two weeks.”
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