Crystal Palace have taken further steps to ensure that their well oiled Academy machine continues to produce first team players by announcing the arrival of two former Palace Legends in to their Academy infrastructure.
John Salako and Mark Bright, who between them made over 400 Appearances for the Eagles during a golden era at the Club, are returning to Selhurst Park after accepting an offer from Academy Manager Dave Moss to jump onboard.
Salako, who will assume responsibility for coaching the U13’s is clearly delighted by this latest development, said:
“This is home for me and for me to be given this opportunity is incredible. I have been looking for some time to get involved with the Club again and I felt the time was right and the opportunity was right for me and the Club. I am delighted to be onboard, obviously Palace is in my heart I joined the Club as a 14 year old school-boy so I know what is involved.”
Mark Bright meanwhile is keen to pass on the knowledge of a professional career spanning 19 years to the Club’s youngsters;
“I have just joined to help in any way I can really. David Moss the Club’s Academy Manager spoke to me about it at a Crystal Palace golf day a few months back whether I was interested and it was just a case really of talking to David and seeing exactly how I could help and when.”
“My commitments are that I work for the BBC, I do games on a Saturday and some Sunday’s and it was just a case of negotiating where I could best help out the Club really. We have looked at me helping on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the dome and Monday’s at the training ground. Fundamentally I will be helping with the technical side, heading, volleying and just pass on the knowledge really.”
Academy Manager David Moss believes that the signing of John Salako and Mark Bright is a massive coup for the Club and their presence will be of enormous benefit to everyone involved with the Academy.
“I am absolutely delighted, not only for me as Academy Manager but for the Club, the Academy and more so for the players. The players will have seen these experienced players on television and they really are Palace legends.”
“They are both qualified coaches and it is great for them to put something back into the game. They have their own ambitions of what they want to do in the game and they will want to progress to a high as level as possible on the coaching front and this is a great start for them coaching elite players at this level.”
“It is a win, win situation for both parties and I am looking forward to working with them this season.”
