Crystal Palace legend Geoff Thomas is happy seeing former teammate Alan Pardew in charge.
The pair reached the FA Cup final together with Palace over 20 years ago.
"I have known him since he first came to Palace and if you asked me if I would be surprised if he became a manager, I would have said no," Thomas told the Daily Express.
"Alan recognised he probably wasn't one of the star players in the team but realised he had a part to play. Sometimes when you are not as skilled or as talented as some of the others you work harder to achieve the same level. And by doing that, you learn more.
"That sets you up for a coaching or managerial scenario and even then Alan was always very vocal in pushing players to being the best they could be. He saw he could help people realise their potential and he has carried that into management."
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