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Fulham ex-defender
Kit Symons |
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Fulham ex-defender Kit Symons plans to follow in his best friend Chris Coleman's footsteps by masterminding a Crystal Palace revival in his first managerial job.
Coleman has transformed Fulham from relegation candidates into a top-six Premiership side since succeeding Jean Tigana in April.
And his former Fulham and Wales team-mate Symons is now taking his own first tentative steps in management after being put in temporary charge of Crystal Palace.
Symons said: 'I'm in a great position because my best mate has been through it as a young manager offered a job out of the blue. Fulham could have gone down before Chris took over and if I have anything like his success I'll be delighted.
'We've given ourselves a mountain to climb but it's certainly possible that we could still sneak into the play-offs. Chris is my best mate. I was with him when he got the Fulham job and I just told him to go and enjoy it.
'I did speak to him between meetings with the chairman yesterday and when he stopped laughing he wished me well. I went out for a meal with him after the Fulham-Liverpool match on Sunday and I wish I'd have known then because I'd have picked his brains!
Symons, 32, was handed the caretaker role at Selhurst Park after chairman Simon Jordan parted company with manager Steve Kember and first-team coach Terry Bullivant.
Kember had been in charge since May but after starting the season with three straight league wins under his care, Palace plummeted to within three points of the bottom three with a run of just one win in 13.
Symons said: 'I certainly wasn't expecting it. One minute I was talking with Steve and Terry, who I have the utmost respect for, and the next thing I knew the chairman was making me an offer.
'It's a fantastic opportunity and it's a great compliment I was chosen to take over for the immediate future. The chairman has told me that if I want to throw my hat in the ring permanently he would consider it.'
Symons is about to take his first coaching badge, but will begin the learning process early against Preston this weekend. He expects to be in charge for at least six weeks.