Crystal Palace chief Steve Parish is backing Dougie Freedman to lead Nottingham Forest.

Freedman's time at Bolton Wanderers was one to forget but he has turned Forest's season around after they sacked Stuart Pearce.

"I don't really understand why it didn't work for him at Bolton," Parish told the Croydon Advertiser.

"Dougie will and he will be a lot better for it, because you don't really learn anything from success sometimes.

"You only really learn about yourself and things in adversity, so I'm made up for him now.

"I am really pleased for him. I've had had lunch with him, it was great when Dougie was here and it was a shame that he went.

"It's good to see him doing well and they're probably just a little bit away from the play-offs. I watch the results and I hope he gets them up, Forest are a massive club as well.

"You never know in the Championship, you can win four or five games in a row and just dip over the line, so he still has a chance and it would be great for him."