Saturday 23 April 2016 00:34, UK
Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores should get new deal and a pat on the back - not the sack - says Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew.
The Daily Mail has reported that Flores could be ousted in the summer after just four Premier League wins since the turn of the year.
But Flores will lead his team out at Wembley in an FA Cup semi-final against Palace on Sunday and Eagles boss Pardew has praised the Spaniard's "British" style.
"He's an outstanding manager and for what he has done, as a foreign manager in his first season in the Premier League, it's an outstanding job," Pardew said.
"They should give him a pat on the back and a bumper new deal - and I'm sure they will.
"There's an argument to certain boards taking managers for granted, but if you look at the managerial records, it does show you who the best are. If you look at Flores' record, that stands out even before Watford.
"What I really admire about him, more so than other European coaches that come in, is that he's embraced the English game. He hasn't tried to force that Watford team to do something they're not used to doing.
"They play with a British [style]. One of their forwards [Troy Deeney] is British, but they play a British way, they're good at it, he's stuck with it and not tried to alter it, and that's been their strength. You have to take your hat off to him for that."
Pardew revealed that he intends to motivate his squad for the big occasion in an unorthodox way.
He said: "We have some ideas on a couple of little funnies we might break in there, and a couple of little things that might embarrass one or two staff members.
"Really and truly, you want to get your team in the right place. If it's a light-hearted moment or something serious. It's about getting the guys in the right place for the game, that motivation and adrenalin in all the right zones, not listening to all the noise that's going on."
