Some Crystal Palace fans now believe that Paddy McCarthy will replace Roy Hodgson in 2024.
The 40-year-old has been working closely alongside the 76-year-old and Ray Lewington since Steve Parish opted to sack Patrick Vieira back in March
McCarthy had previously managed both the Crystal Palace Under-18 side as well as the Under-21s.
The Irishman even oversaw a Premier League game in charge of the Eagles after Vieira was sacked back in March and Parish had yet to confirm Hodgson’s return, losing 4-1 to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
So, what have the Crystal Palace fans been saying about Paddy McCarthy? Let’s take a look…
Crystal Palace fans think Paddy McCarthy will replace Roy Hodgson
Well, fans began to discuss the prospect of McCarthy taking over from Hodgson after Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley.
The Dublin-born coach was heavily involved in the post-match media duties, which is fairly uncommon for an Assistant Manager.
One supporter even wrote that Crystal Palace “appear to be increasing his profile” – which was a very interesting point.
Of course, McCarthy worked with Tyrick Mitchell in the youth setup, which is mainly why the Irishman was being interviewed on Saturday, as the England international scored in our 2-0 win over Burnley.
Nevertheless, there has certainly been more McCarthy in the spotlight than ever before, which has sparked an intriguing debate on social media.
One fan admitted that they’ve become increasingly more certain that McCarthy will be hired as Hodgson’s permanent replacement next season.
Another voiced their agreement – while also posting the aforementioned comment about Crystal Palace enhancing his profile.
Two more Crystal Palace fans commented on the situation.
One supporter stated that they think McCarthy is “being trained up by” Hodgson to take over.
Another echoed that sentiment, adding that he is “being groomed” to become the main man while also referring to comments made by Mark Bright during pre-season.
Last but not least, two more Crystal Palace fans shared their thoughts.
One simply wrote “foreshadowing” in response to McCarthy’s post-match interview.
Another echoed the previous comment about the Irishman being groomed to take over – it certainly has the feel of an apprenticeship at the moment, with Hodgson showing him the ropes.
Only time will tell what happens for certain.
However, in an era where many assistants are getting the main role – such as Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, for example – we wouldn’t be surprised to see McCarthy handed the reins.
