Frank de Boer sacked by Crystal Palace: Muddled thinking but the right decision?

This was not a view gaining much support after Palace announced De Boer’s sacking, with condemnation of the haste and perceived lack of opportunity for the new manager the overwhelming reaction.

And there is no way Parish, presumably in league with Palace’s American owners – billionaire investor Joshua Harris and his business partner David Blitzer – can escape criticism.

Palace, initially linked strongly with Marco Silva before he went to Watford, took time and trouble to appoint De Boer. This was a carefully thought out strategy to take the club to the next stage of its development.

It was also not a rushed appointment. Allardyce resigned on 24 May and it was more than a month later, on 26 June, that De Boer was given the job.

If there are questions about De Boer, then questions must also be asked about those who appointed him and had to admit their mistake in the short order of four league games.

“I think they’ve panicked,” former Palace star Salako told BBC Radio 5 live. “I think they’ve pushed the button too early.”

It is also clear that Palace’s sense of self-preservation has shaped this move.

The fear of relegation kicks in almost instantly in the Premier League and the club’s American owners, perhaps not fully aware of its consequences until they got their feet under the table at Selhurst Park, will share that dread as they look at their investment.

“The biggest factor will be the owners – they don’t understand relegation,” added Salako. “In America you don’t have relegation. Part of their business plan is to stay in the Premier League. Relegation is just disaster.”

In Parish’s defence – and not too many were acting as his shield on Monday – he has made decisions that have ended well for Palace in the past, such as the appointment (albeit briefly and eventually acrimoniously) of Pulis and then bringing in Allardyce in December 2016 in succession to Pardew with the club one point above the relegation zone – eventually finishing 14th.

He also obviously felt De Boer’s position, given the differences on both sides, was beyond repair and needed an instant remedy. Parish, if he believes he has made a mistake, has at least resolved it quickly.

The chairman may also take solace from the last Premier League club to suffer such an adverse public reaction to a managerial change, namely Leicester City after they sacked Claudio Ranieri only nine months after the most unlikely title triumph in Premier League history.

Time proved that perhaps the Foxes were right to take such drastic action as Leicester, under then caretaker Craig Shakespeare, were revived and ended the season in the comfort of safety after threatening to follow a Premier League win with relegation.

Former England manager Hodgson, who looks certain to succeed De Boer, will be regarded as a “safe hands” candidate who will bring the sort of stability that enabled Fulham and West Bromwich Albion to flourish under his experienced guidance.

There is, however, still a heavy roll of the dice about the 70-year-old’s proposed appointment.