Former Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer still believes he would have turned the team’s fortunes around had he been given more time.
The Dutchman was sacked at the start of the 2017/18 season after failing to win a single point in his opening four league games.
Having replaced Sam Allardyce in pre-season, he lasted just 77 days at Selhurst Park with his only triumph coming in the EFL Cup against Ipswich Town.
De Boer has guided current side Atlanta United to second in MLS Eastern Conference and the US Open Cup final – despite a similarly slow start – and wishes he was given a fair shot at Palace.
“I’m convinced I think if we get the time we should, we definitely turn it around, especially at Crystal Palace,” he told the Guardian.
“We had a feeling, in training you saw it, that this is the moment we’re going to go looking up and win games. And then they decided to sack me. Of course that’s not the nicest feeling, but it’s like that.
“I was especially angry. They do some promises and they have a philosophy: ‘OK, we want to be a solid club.’ For example, Crystal Palace, you have to also play like a modern team and don’t play relegation football.
“If you want to do that, OK, one year you can survive, maybe two years. But one time you will go down, I am convinced.”
“I think [the fans] know I put all my effort in it, and in England they just want to see that, that’s for sure.”