Source: FOOTYMAD
Freedman joins Crystal Palace FC
Dougie Freedman has been named as Crystal Palace's new assistant manager. Freedman:The Scotsman, who had his contract cancelled at Southend United to enable him to head back to the Eagles, will be working alongside the club's new manager Paul Hart. And he insisted a return to Selhurst Park, where he spent 10 years a player, was an opportunity he could not turn down. "It's an exciting and new challenge for me. I know Paul Hart well from being at Nottingham Forest together and he rang me to ask if I was interested in being his assistant. "When I found out it was going to be at Crystal Palace I just thought it was perfect but I owe a big thanks to Ron Martin for releasing me and allowing me to come because it wasn't something he had to do." Freedman joined the Shrimp-ers, from Palace, in September 2008. But, after making an great start, the 35-year-old netted just six times in 41 appearances during what eventually turned out to be a mixed spell at Roots Hall. "It was great to begin with but then my first season was killed by injuries. This year it's been stop-start and I haven't really had enough games but I always gave 100 per cent in everything I did there. I was never half-hearted, I helped the strikers, I helped coach the youth team with Ricky Duncan and was always committed to the club. I'm sure the manager and players know that and I hope the fans do too." Freedman's last start for Blues came in November at Tranmere Rovers before dropping down to the substitutes' bench. He was therefore only been able to watch on from the sidelines as Steve Tilson's side slipped to just above the relegation zone. But he is certain they enough about them to stay up. "I really do think the lads will avoid relegation because there are some very good players there. I know they lost a lot of goals when Lee Barnard went but Scott Vernon and Matt Paterson have scored a couple now and could well go on to end up getting five or six goals." Not paying players' wages in time has also not helped Blues and sources close to club insist the squad have still not been paid since December. However, Freedman had words of praise for chairman Martin and knows he is desperate to secure more success. "Ron has the club at heart and the stadium, when it happens, will be a fantastic project for the club. The only criticism you could have is that maybe he's been looking at the long-term and not the short-term. The problems with wages hasn't helped but that's the way of the world at the moment and I'm sure Southend have a bright future, which includes staying up."
