De Boer: Mid-table at Palace will feel like a title win

Daniel Storey

Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer says that getting his new club into mid-table will feel like winning the title with Ajax.

Palace only confirmed their relegation survival in their last home game of 2016/17, and promptly lost manager Sam Allardyce.

De Boer has taken over with no experience of English football, but having managed Ajax and Inter.

The Dutchman is keen for expectations to stay manageable. after a slow summer of transfer activity at Selhurst Park.

“The motivation is to make the team better and to make every individual a better player,” De Boer said.

“For every manager that’s something fantastic. You work hard with everyone and at the end you say, ‘This is what we achieved with the team’.

“Okay, there is no trophy if you finish 12th or 10th or something, but at that moment it’s also a fantastic achievement for the club because they expected it from the manager when they started.

“Of course, managing another club you have another perspective on that, to be in the first four or to play (in the) European Cup or for the championship, but we are not in that situation.

“We want to make a solid club and if we achieve that, I’m as happy as when I lifted a trophy. It’s completely the same.”