In an exclusive interview, Crystal Palace discusses keeping hold of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, signing Dean Henderson and more; watch Crystal Palace vs Wolves live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Super Sunday; kick-off 2pm
Sunday 3 September 2023 14:32, UK
Crystal Palace managing to keep hold of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise this summer is a statement of intent regarding their ambitions, according to boss Roy Hodgson.
Both midfielders had been linked with moves away this summer, but winger Olise, 21, has signed a new long-term contract to stave off interest from Chelsea.
Eze, meanwhile, will also remain at the club despite interest from Manchester City and others.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Hodgson revealed his delight at keeping the pair at the club past the end of the summer transfer window.
"For me as a manager it's an ideal situation that we've been able to keep hold of these players," he said. "Michael was very close to going, but we managed to get him to commit his long-term future here, which is a really good thing.
"We'll never be able to stop the vultures circling. When you're a club of our stature and you have players like ours. There will always be teams coming in for them.
"But it's a strong statement of intent from the club that we've been able to persuade those players that their future is here, and you don't always have to covet a place in the squad of a team a bit higher up the league.
"Sometimes we can't change that scenario. But we have to do as much as we can to keep our best players and give ourselves a chance.
"And when we do sell players one has to hope that the money generated will be widely used and circulated within the club to replace those that have left. You develop a reputation of being a club that can develop and produce good players."
It looked for all the world as though Olise was going to make the short hop across London to join Chelsea last month, only for the club to dramatically reveal he had signed a new long-term deal.
Hodgson says while they did all they could to convince him to remain at Selhurst Park, ultimately it was the midfielder's own decision to stay.
"We put all our arguments to him about why it would be a good idea for him to stay," says Hodgson. "Whether it be his development or him being one of the first names on the teamsheet.
"We said all the things you'd say to a young player who has the chance to make a big move. But it was down to him in the end. It was he who made the decision.
"We just put it to him what we wanted, We didn't do much more than that. He's an intelligent boy and was capable of making his own choice."
It is the type of pairing that keeps Hodgson, now 76, so enthused about the game. From his return to Palace last March through to the end of last season, Eze and Olise were in impeccable form. A joy to watch when in full flow.
Olise is currently out injured, but he cannot wait to see them in tandem again when he returns.
"They were working well together last season," says Hodgson. "I have good memories of that, and if I close my eyes I can conjure up the images of those two causing plenty of problems for opposition defences.
"I'm expecting it to happen again, and that's why we were so keen to keep Michael. Even with the money we would have made from him, we would have struggled to have found a player with his quality to do what he and Eze did together last season."
For now, the creative burden falls on Eze, but he can handle the pressure. So much so that he has again been called up to Gareth Southgate's England squad, having won his first cap in the summer.
"All we can do is give Ebere a platform to play the sort of football he does," says Hodgson. "Get the balls into him in areas and situations where he can use his talent to the fore. Everything else is up to him. If we can do that, then we can profit from that.
"For a club like Crystal Palace to have three players in the England squad [along with Marc Guehi and Sam Johnstone], with more knocking on the door, is a great thing for us."
Palace moved late for a new goalkeeper to challenge Sam Johnstone in the window, with Dean Henderson joining from Manchester United.
Now 26, Henderson is expected to push Johnstone for the No 1 spot.
"He's been on the sidelines looking in and it's a very good chance for him to get going again," says Hodgson of his new goalkeeper. "For us it's a great chance to have two goalkeepers of the quality we have, both pushing to be in the England squad.
"He must be very anxious. He had a wonderful spell at Nottingham Forest and then got injured before going back to Manchester United. He didn't really get much of a chance to show what he can do there.
"We don't question having competition between outfield players, it's only ever with goalkeepers. It gives me a selection headache, but it's a good headache to have."
Crystal Palace face Wolves on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm (kick-off 2pm), and it's a fixture that sees the oldest manager in the Premier League - and indeed in the top four divisions in England - take on the second youngest in the top flight.
Hodgson had already been a manager for seven years when Gary O'Neil was born in 1983, but he believes it will matter for little come kick-off.
"I don't regard him in any way as a newcomer," says Hodgson. "We're all in the same boat together, and I'm preparing to play his team in the same way he'll be preparing to play mine.
"He's [handled the scrutiny of the Premier League] extremely well. You can learn very quickly in this league, and those 450-odd games he's played will help as well.
"He also had a good spell as an assistant. It's not as if he's just suddenly thrown in and doesn't understand the level. I'm sure he's more than capable of passing that on to his players."
Watch Crystal Palace vs Wolves live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Super Sunday; kick-off 2pm.
You can also follow events from Selhurst Park on the Sky Sports website and app with our live blog, featuring in-game clips and free match highlights after the final whistle.
