Palace disarray deepens as Mackay talks stall
CARETAKER manager Keith Millen looks increasingly likely to take charge of Crystal Palace’s Premier League match with West Ham on Saturday after negotiations with leading candidate Malky Mackay stalled yesterday.
The former Cardiff City boss had seemed in pole position to succeed Tony Pulis in the Selhurst Park hotseat but doubts have emerged about whether the job offer still stands.
Palace gave the clearest indication yet that the new man would not be in place for the weekend by confirming Millen will be taking today’s pre-match press conference ahead of the home clash with Sam Allardyce’s West Ham.
Mackay looked set for a return to management following his sacking by Cardiff in December after beating off competition from early favourite Tim Sherwood and ex-England chief Glenn Hoddle.
But the appointment now appears to be in serious jeopardy after Cardiff sent a dossier to the Football Association stating allegations of misconduct by Mackay during his time at the football club.
The specific make-up of the Eagles’ coaching staff is also said to have placed a huge question mark over the deal to finally appoint former Norwich, West Ham and Celtic defender Mackay.
The Palace hierarchy were seemingly keen to retain the services of first team coach Ben Garner and Millen in any new backroom structure designed by the newly-installed manager.
One of the reasons Mackay is said to have been favoured by Palace co-chairman Steve Parish was Sherwood’s desire to take his own backroom staff, including Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsey, to Selhurst Park.
It has not been a smooth start to the new season for Palace after the shock departure of Pulis less than 48 hours before the club’s opening game at Arsenal on Saturday, which ended in a last-gasp 2-1 defeat.
Pulis guided the Eagles to 11th last season after replacing Ian Holloway in November with Palace marooned at the foot of the table with only one win from their first 11 fixtures.
Mackay began his managerial career at Watford in 2011 before taking the reins at Cardiff and guiding the south Wales club to English football’s top flight for the first time since 1962.
The Scot’s previous close working relationship with Palace’s current sporting director Iain Moody, while the duo were at the Cardiff City Stadium, was initally seen as beneficial to Mackay’s chances of landing the job.