We should forget about the play-offs, insists Freedman

Dougie Freedman believes Crystal Palace's young guns should forget about promotion. The Eagles are still only three points adrift of the top six despite last night's defeat to Ipswich, but the momentum generated by their 15-game unbeaten run is beginning to evaporate.

Palace have scraped together just one point and one goal in their last four matches and looked bereft of ideas at Selhurst Park last night.

Even the talismanic Freedman failed to inspire Neil Warnock's side when introduced as a substitute late on and the 33-year-old Scot fears the side have become distracted by talk of a shock promotion bid.

"I don't think the manager has ever said we are going to get promotion," he said. "He has always said: 'Listen, let's build slowly'. He has brought in a few young players, which is good, so maybe he is looking to next season.

"We got into the play-off position and got a little bit of attention and it has affected players in different ways. Unfortunately, it has affected one or two performances but we have a manager who knows more than anybody what needs to be done, having been involved in five or six promotions.

"We have got to go back to basics and that's what he told the lads in the dressing room. The big message was to do your own job and work hard for each other and he will take any sort of blame that comes.

"From the position where he came in, to go 15 games unbeaten took a hell of an effort. Maybe, the lads are feeling mentally tired from that. So perhaps we can say that the play-offs are not for us this year."

Freedman knows time is running out for him to notch a third promotion with Palace and he is already planning for the future by taking his coaching badges.

The Glaswegian oversees the reserve side and is keen to move into full management when he retires.

But even though Freedman is unlikely to lead Palace back into the Premier League, he has warned his team-mates that they will all be playing for their futures during the season's run-in.

"The manager is maybe already looking ahead," he added.

"He is concentrating on getting certain players that he wants in, to get the team spirit that he wants.

He told the players after the game exactly what he requires and if you want to be a part of it come along. If you don't, then there is no need to join in."

Warnock hinted last night that several of his senior players had let him down against Ipswich, although he heaped praise on youngster Lee Hills for an energetic display at left-back.

But even the 17-year-old could not prevent striker Danny Haynes delivering the visitors' knock-out blow in first-half stoppage time, the striker inadvertently deflecting in Richard Naylor's volley. "We have to get things in perspective - it's the same group of players that were struggling earlier this season, plus a couple of additions, but we've seen over the last couple of games that we have players who can easily get put out of place by a loss of form," Warnock said. "We are persevering, and we'll need some players over the summer which is when we will do our business.

"It's a matter of doing our best until then."

Meanwhile, a window on the Ipswich team coach was broken by a missile thrown by a Palace fan as it left the ground last night.