Joel Ward Crystal Palace
Joel Ward says he is hopeful of extending his nine-year stay at Crystal Palace with his current contract set to end this summer.
Joel Ward said: “We are in a transitional stage and in a different position now going into the summer with changes on the horizon. As players we just have to focus on what we can control and that is our own performances and the way we conduct ourselves. Everything else is down to the hierarchy, the chairman and people involved in that process. I think the club has a great platform and a great foundation to build from. All I can do is focus on playing. I still believe there is many more years here at the club and hopefully that can get resolved and sorted. I would like to think I have given everything I can to keep the club in the Premier League. Hopefully things get sorted out, we are in talks and the club know where I stand, so hopefully things can move forward and when things get tied up we can enjoy the next few years.”
Ward also paid tribute to Hodgson, who announced in May that he would be leaving the club at the end of the season. The 31-year-old says that Hodgson will be leaving big shoes to fill.
Joel Ward added: “I’ve said on multiple occasions, he’s more than just a manager to myself but also to a lot of players and a lot of players who aren’t at this club that he’s managed over the years. It’s a testament to the character that he is as a man and the genuine kind of man he is and how he conducts himself. For us as a club, he’s worked with us tirelessly and meticulously for the last four years. We’ve been working on things and making sure that we give ourselves the best chance and the best platform to build from going into a Premier League season and we’ve had four great seasons with him. He is someone who has helped me in my professional career, but also in my personal life as well. He is someone we can look to and have a conversation with. He has so much knowledge and wisdom to offer so he is certainly more than just a manager to not only myself, but so many other people. I think you can see that from the wider footballing family and global footballing family in terms of the respect everyone has shown, the outpouring and the comments that have come out in the press.”
