Frank de Boer was fired after four games in charge of Crystal Palace on Monday. Phil Noble / Reuters
Frank de Boer was fired after four games in charge of Crystal Palace on Monday. Phil Noble / Reuters
Frank de Boer was fired after four games in charge of Crystal Palace on Monday. Phil Noble / Reuters
Frank de Boer was fired after four games in charge of Crystal Palace on Monday. Phil Noble / Reuters

Frank de Boer fired by Crystal Palace with Roy Hodgson expected to take over at Selhurst Park


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Crystal Palace fired new manager Frank de Boer four games into the Premier League season on Monday after suffering the worst start to an English top-flight campaign for nearly 100 years.

The 47-year-old former Ajax player and manager only took charge on June 26 with a three-year contract, but his first four Premier League games all ended in defeat.

The club confirmed de Boer's departure in a brief statement on the club's website.

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"Crystal Palace Football Club have this morning parted company with Frank de Boer," it said.

"We would like to thank Frank for his dedication and hard work during his time at the Club. A new manager will be appointed in due course and we wish Frank the very best of luck for the future."

De Boer's reign is the shortest in the Premier League era in terms of matches played.

Les Reed lasted seven games in 2006 before being sacked by Charlton Athletic while American Bob Bradley survived only 11 last season at Swansea City. Frenchman Jacques Santini was also sacked by Tottenham Hotspur after 11 games in 2004.

It is the second time the Dutchman has lasted fewer than 100 days in a job having suffered a similar fate at Inter Milan last year where he was sacked after 85 days in charge.

Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Burnley, where Palace wasted several good chances to break their duck, left them joint bottom of the table having failed to register a goal.

The last English top-flight club to lose their first four games without finding the net was Preston North End in 1924.

De Boer, who replaced Sam Allardyce, presided over home defeats by newly-promoted Huddersfield Town (0-3) and Swansea City (0-2) and away losses to Liverpool (0-1) and Burnley.

His only victory came in the League Cup against second-tier Ipswich Town.

Media reports said former England manager Roy Hodgson was in line to replace De Boer at Selhurst Park.

Whoever does replace De Boer faces a tough task as Palace play Manchester City and Manchester United away and Chelsea at home in their next four Premier League matches.

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The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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