Shaun Derry set to make Crystal Palace return as first-team coach

Shaun Derry is set to return to Crystal Palace’s coaching set-up after he was sidelined by Patrick Vieira last season.

The former Palace midfielder was removed from his role by Vieira after the pair clashed over their approach to man-management, but Roy Hodgson feels there is room for an extra person on the coaching staff.

Derry was removed temporarily after Vieira decided he would no longer be involved, but never formally left the club.

The Frenchman deemed Derry to have overstepped his roles and responsibilities, particularly after a full-scale dressing down of the players in the aftermath of a 3-0 defeat by Everton last October.

The 45-year-old who represented Palace for six years as a player over two spells, was brought to the club’s academy as Under-23s head coach in 2019.

He was then promoted to first-team coach by Vieira shortly after the Frenchman arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer of 2021.

Derry has previously managed Notts County and Cambridge United.

As a player, he won the First Division play-off final with Palace in 2004 and then, in his second spell, helped them avoid relegation to League One in 2010.

Hodgson was confirmed as Palace manager earlier this week after guiding the team to five wins in 10 games following Vieira’s sacking in March.

He will be assisted by Paddy McCarthy, while Derry now joins Ray Lewington as first-team coach, with Dean Kiely also still involved in the set-up as goalkeeping coach.