Crystal Palace: 5 Most Likely Candidates To Replace Tony Pulis

2. Alan Pardew

Could the man who almost helped Palace to an FA Cup victory in the 1990s as a player be about to return to the club as a manager? Having played 128 times for Palace between 1987 and 1991, the former defender was there for that near Wembley glory, as well as promotion to the top flight after play-off victory over Blackburn, and he was linked to the job before Pulis was brought in. Pros He knows Crystal Palace, and having an emotional appointment might be the best option right now. He also has previous with working in a system where he doesn't have complete control over transfers: as he knew what he was getting into when he replaced Chris Hughton at Newcastle, and has subsequently suffered the ignominy of working under Joe Kinnear as "director of football". So if Parish wants to retain his control over player acquisition, that would clearly be a smart move. And if Zaha was the straw that broke Pulis' back, there'd be positives to be taken from the fact that Pardew has also been linked to the player before. Cons He's in a job, tied to a remarkably long contract (much to the annoyance of some of his more vocal critics) and he's had a strong summer of rebuilding, during which time he was apparently more involved with transfers than he has been for a while at Newcastle. So it's likely to take a lot to get him to give up the reigns at St. James' Park, even for a club close to his heart. Some would also say that his abilities are up for debate: his tactical knowledge can be lacking, particularly when faced with the need for a plan B, and playing players out of position is never going to help a club like Palace who might now find themselves at the wrong end of the table again.