Crystal Palace: No transfers fallout with Tony Pulis - Steve Parish

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Media caption,

Palace chairman on Pulis departure

Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish says former manager Tony Pulis did not leave because of a disagreement over transfers, and hopes to appoint an "experienced" replacement by Wednesday.

Pulis left on Thursday with reports suggesting he was frustrated, external with the club's failure to sign certain targets.

But Parish told Gary Lineker in a BBC Match of the Day interview that there was no transfer fallout and he "never tried to impose targets" on Pulis.

"There was no friction," he added.

Tony Pulis's Crystal Palace record

Games: 29

Wins: 13

Draws: 5

Losses: 11

Biggest win: 3-0 at Cardiff, April 2014.

Biggest defeat: 3-0 at Newcastle, December 2013.

Parish was speaking after Palace lost 2-1 at Arsenal on the opening day of the Premier League season, with Aaron Ramsey scoring a stoppage-time winner.

Palace, who are in their second season back in the top flight, signed striker Fraizer Campbell from Cardiff and defender Martin Kelly from Liverpool in the summer while former Fulham defender Brede Hangeland arrived on a free transfer.

"The stories about me wanting certain players and Tony not wanting certain players are just not the case," Parish said.

"My job is to try to get the deals done for Tony or any other manager.

"There was a good transfer budget agreed. There was a lack of targets the manager felt were good enough in the window and it came to a point where he felt he could not carry on.

Media caption,

Tony Pulis wants Crystal Palace to have 'a plan'

"I can't have people at the football club who are not 100% committed to what we are trying to do, so reluctantly I agreed to let him go and let him out of his contract.

"It is very important we have a good communication and for me the communication was difficult."

Pulis succeeded Ian Holloway in November last year when Palace were bottom of the Premier League and ultimately guided them to an 11th-placed finish - the club's highest since 1992.

Parish said he did not feel let down by Pulis's decision to leave, adding: "He doesn't owe us anything and I don't think we owe him anything. He did a fantastic job for us.

"He is a wonderful coach and he works so hard at the training ground and we would like to have kept him."

Image source, PA
Image caption,

Crystal Palace co-chairman Steve Parish was in the stands as the Eagles lost 2-1 at Arsenal on Saturday

With the transfer window closing on 1 September, Parish is determined to make a swift appointment and is targeting someone who has previous Premier League experience.

"We want to get a manager who is right for the long term," he said.

"Experience of the Premier League is very important and we would not be straying too far from someone who has that intimate knowledge of it, either as a player or as a manager.

"Hopefully Tuesday or Wednesday this week we will try and get someone in place."

Caretaker manager Keith Millen added: "The players are waiting to be given a new direction on the field and off the field."

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