Holloway quiet on Palace future

22 October 2013 08:16

Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway played down the significance of a post-match meeting with the club's owner Steve Parish after Monday night's 4-1 home defeat to Fulham.

After taking an early lead through an Adrian Mariappa header, Palace were caught out by two stunning volleys from Pajtim Kasami and Steve Sidwell as the visitors went in ahead at half-time.

Things went from bad to worse for Holloway and his side after the interval as two goals in five minutes, courtesy of Dimitar Berbatov and Philippe Senderos, took the game well out of sight of the hosts.

Holloway revealed he spent a long time with his players following the defeat before meeting Parish for a lengthy discussion, the details of which the 50-year-old wished to keep to himself.

"We talk all time," he said.

"I'm not going to talk about what we just spoke about to be perfectly honest. I'm not talking about my future at the football club, I'm talking about the football club and that is all I have ever done."

Holloway also confirmed he would meet with Parish in the morning but said that was standard practice following a game.

"I will be speaking to him tomorrow morning when the lads are in," he said.

"It is about what is right for the football club and that is what it will always be about between me and Steve.

"We were having a meeting anyway, we always do when we are having a warm-down. We will talk about some bits and pieces and learn from it. That is the meeting and that is what we always do."

Although he would not be drawn on his own position at Selhurst Park, Holloway did call on his squad to improve between now and New Year.

"We have lost five games since we announced the 25 [man-squad] and there is something wrong there," he added.

"I don't think we have got the same spirit, maybe we changed too many, but that is the squad we have until January so they better buck up and stick together."

Fulham manager Martin Jol meanwhile praised his side's response to losing an early goal as his side picked up their third league win of the campaign.

"The first 10 minutes was sickening, to concede a goal like that again. Of course it is my responsibility," he said

"After that first goal we came back, we showed a lot of resilience, mentality and I think we played better than Crystal Palace. That is what you want.

"You want to control the game, especially in the second half our midfield did well.

"Of course we took a little bit of a risk to play Berbatov, Bent, Ruiz and Kasami, but I think we did well.

"To have a 4-1 result, one of the best results of the last couple of years, is vert satisfying."

With new owner Shahid Khan in attendance a good display and positive result would have been the order of the day for the Cottagers and, with a record-equalling Premier League away win, Jol's side got the required result.

"He [Khan] was very pleased," the Dutchman said after the game.

"He said we showed a lot of resilience and mentality. He was very pleased.

"Last time when I saw him he was very pleased as well and before that he was in Costa Rica, so he looks a happy man. He is always satisfied."

Source: PA