Palace boss de Boer pledges to give youth a chance

Frank de Boer has vowed to give young players the opportunity to prove their worth at Crystal Palace.

The Dutchman, who won 112 caps for Holland during his playing days, took the reins at Selhurst Park this week after previous spells at Ajax and Inter Milan.

And while it is expected he will dip into the transfer market to strengthen his squad, de Boer has also pledged to ensure talented youngsters get a run in red and blue.

He pinpointed Ivory Coast international winger Wilfried Zaha, a product of Palace’s academy, as a shining example of what youngsters nurtured in the right way could achieve.

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“He has been a key player over the years and it is nice to see that he likes to play for Crystal Palace, and wants to be that key player,” he said.

“That is the kind of player you want to see if you go to a game.

“The academy has raised some good players and I will give youth the opportunity when they are good enough.

“It will be interesting to see how talented the players are and if they can have some hours on the training pitch, that will be great. That will give them confidence and good experience.”