(Credit: Imago/talkSPORT)

Jack Heath

Mon 11 August 2025 18:32, UK

Simon Jordan has heavily criticised the management by the Crystal Palace board after CAS gave their final verdict on what European competition the club will play in next season.

'Crystal Palace transfer plans thrown into doubt' after CAS ruling	CAS ruling to 'launch James McAtee to Nottingham Forest deal over the line'	Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish gives Arsenal and Liverpool hope of signing Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi

After a rocky summer of uncertainty, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) have concluded that the club will be playing in the Conference League instead of the Europa League next season with Palace’s transfer plans now thrown into doubt

Despite winning the FA Cup they were demoted to the Conference League by European football’s governing body UEFA after it determined that American businessman John Textor had control or influence at both Palace and French club Lyon.

The Eagles appealed against their demotion but the Premier League club have lost their appeal, despite Textor’s departure, with fingers being pointed at several key names in and around Selhurst Park over the poor management of the situation.

Eberechi Eze’s winner in the FA Cup final now means nothing (Credit: Imago)

Speaking on talkSPORT (11 August), former Palace chairman Jordan ripped into what happened for the ruling to go against the Eagles and who is to blame.

He said: “Here we are now in a situation where Palace have defied the conventional wisdom of being successful.

“And by the way, let’s not lose sight of the fact that you can win any of these competitions like the League Cup and the FA Cup and get into European competitions and half the teams in the league are able to achieve it.

MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES

“So, the fact they didn’t prepare for this is very easy to make [John] Textor the villain of the piece.

“[But] if you sell your shares to somebody [Textor], and then you allow him to go and buy a majority shareholding in another football club and you don’t resolve the issue for a rule that’s been existing for 17-years and then you watched it play out in 2017 with RB [Leipzig].

“So, you knew the parameters, you knew the dynamic of it, then it’s on you…on the current management of Crystal Palace.

It’s on David Blitzer, it’s on Josh Harris and it’s on Steve Parish.”

Jordan was furious with the board’s handling of the situation

Football Insider verdict

Now knowing their final fate, the team must come to terms that they will play in the third-tier of European football next season.

It is a verdict that the club could have easily avoided, but what’s done is done and the south London now must march on into the new season.

The Community Shield victory over Liverpool will be a major boost to Oliver Glasner and co., winning back-to-back at Wembley in finals.

Matches won13Matches drawn1Matches lost0West Ham’s road to winning the Conference League (Source: whufc.com)

Indeed, Eagles fans would have been ecstatic to play in Europa League, but arguably the Conference League offers them an easier competition to win.

Look at West Ham in recent years, having won the third-tier competition in 2022-23, they actually went on to have a miserable Europa League campaign in 2023-24, highlighting the gulf in class between the competitions.

Certainly, Palace are a better side than the Hammers right now, but the weaker opponents should tee them up nicely to swoop in and claim a second major trophy in two seasons.

Related Posts


For more news relating to West Ham, visit our sister site WHU Latest Live.