Crystal Palace Club sacks manager Frank de Boer

 

Crystal Palace on Monday sacked manager Frank de Boer after a dismal start to the Premier League season that has seen them lose all four of their matches without scoring a single goal.

"Crystal Palace Football Club have this morning parted company with Frank de Boer," said a statement on the club's website.

"We would like to thank Frank for his dedication and hard work during his time at the club.

"A new manager will be appointed in due course and we wish Frank the very best of luck for the future."

The south London club have been strongly linked with a move to appoint former England boss Roy Hodgson to replace the departing Dutch manager.

Palace chairman Steve Parish on Sunday took to Twitter to rally fans around the team, without giving unequivocal backing to the former Ajax and Inter Milan boss.

In an exchange with supporters on social media following Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Burnley, Parish wrote: "People are frustrated, I'm frustrated, so are the management and players. We know we are better than this..."

Parish also wrote: "We are 4 games in, it's a terrible start but we have to stick together."

Palace have so far conceded seven goals with defeats to Huddersfield, Liverpool, Swansea and Burnley.

De Boer said after the match at Turf Moor: "I am just focusing on what I can control and so are my staff and my players. (The future) is for other people to decide but while I'm the manager of Crystal Palace I will give 100 percent."

The Eagles are the first team to lose their first four top-flight matches without scoring a goal since Preston in the 1924-25 season.

De Boer took the helm at Selhurst Park forward following Sam Allardyce's unexpected departure at the end of last season.

The Dutchman lasted just 85 days as coach of Italian club Inter despite his positive track record with Ajax.