Frank de Boer, Crystal Palace Part Ways After 4 Premier League Games

Crystal Palace have sacked manager Frank de Boer after just four Premier League games in charge of the club. 

The club confirmed the move on Monday morning after the team lost 1-0 to Burnley on Sunday. It was their fourth defeat in four league games, with Palace failing to score in any of those matches. 

BBC Sport's David Ornstein reported the Eagles are set to appoint former England boss Roy Hodgson as his successor:

Palace snapped up De Boer in the summer, with the Dutchman taking over from Sam Allardyce. While the latter left the former with a robust outfit to work with, the ex-Ajax manager's team struggled during his brief stint at Selhurst Park.

On the opening weekend of the campaign, the Eagles were hammered 3-0 at home by newly promoted Huddersfield Town. It was a result that set a dangerous precedent.

That was followed up by a determined performance but another defeat at Liverpool, 1-0, while the Selhurst Park crowd watched Swansea City roll over Palace 2-0 in Week 3 of the campaign.

Needless to say, the supporters were displeased with the efforts, with no goals scored and six conceded before the international break.

When the Premier League returned, so did Palace's poor form, with the team losing away at Burnley.

As noted by BBC Match of the Day, it's been a long time since a team started the campaign so slowly:

According to Dominic Fifield of the Guardian, the style the Dutchman wanted to implement at the club wasn't popular with players.

It's reported "the playing staff have struggled to adapt to the 47-year-old's demands and desire to play a more possession-based style built around three at the back, and there has been concern raised in the boardroom over perceived naivety due to the manager's inflexibility over tactics in the Premier League."

Such a seismic shift from the blueprint implemented by Allardyce was always going to take time to take effect. It's something journalist Tom Adams noted:

"

Look at the list of predecessors Frank de Boer has had. Ludicrous to expect him to successfully implement a new style in three games pic.twitter.com/pHLLaWLzVJ

— Tom Adams (@tomEurosport) August 28, 2017"

Allardyce later ruled out returning to the club after being contacted by Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish on Monday, via Sky Sports News.

But the club's hierarchy have seen enough of De Boer, who has now been sacked in the early stages of his last two managerial roles; at Inter Milan, he was let go having spent just 85 days in the San Siro hot seat in 2016.

Palace will be disappointed to have made such a marquee appointment in the summer only to see things unravel quickly. It will be fascinating to see what direction the new man, reportedly Hodgson, takes the team in after De Boer's brief stay.