Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish: “I’m in charge of worrying”
BY ANDREW MCSTEEN
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish talked this week about his own personal journey with the club since his consortium saved the SE25 outfit from possible extinction back in 2010.
Speaking on the NFL ‘Good Morning Football’ programme from Potters Fields Park by Tower Bridge, Parish explained to the hosts, who are in London for the annual American Football series of games, about his role and how it has changed in the past 12 years.
“Nowadays, we’ve got a sporting department,” said the 57-year-old. “When I began, when I started, you kind of did everything. You’re working directly with the manager on recruitment, ticketing – absolutely everything.
“Now, as you professionalise the club, there is more money coming into the game, you’ve got different departments. In the end, I said to people: ‘I’m in charge of worrying. I am in charge of all the worrying for everybody, trying to plug all the gaps and developing the club. We just built the new academy [and we’re] trying to (re)build the stadium.”
He then further expanded on his day-to-day role, a role which has also seen him as one of the vocal leaders in the face of a possible European Super League and UEFA interference with both domestic leagues and European club competition.
“There’s lots of things going on at the Premier League, lots of things going on in European football, lots of politics – lots more politics, probably, than in the NFL,” he explained.
“We have a lot more competitions that are trying to vie for each other’s media income and all that kind of stuff, so there’s a lot to do.
“It’s a tough job, but you learn to manage it right? Sports is, is really tough. I don’t think you know, we’re very fortunate to be in it. But you know, it’s very binary like the way I say it; the ball goes to the left of the post on a Saturday, I’m a genius. If it goes to the right, I spend the week thinking I’m an idiot, let alone what anyone else thinks.
“Your work is critiqued every week,” added the Forest Hill-born Parish. “You have to learn some strategies to deal with that kind of thing.
“I’ve supported (Palace) since I was four years old and it’s a dream of everybody to buy and then run their own team; it’s been an incredible journey.”