Nice guy Trevor won't lose heart

Not that City turned out to be as kind in return, setting in motion the ultimate job-swap last autumn by taking Steve Bruce to St Andrew's after parting company with Francis.

Bruce departed Palace on a high, pushing for promotion and surfing a wave of seven straight wins which abruptly halted with his exit. Locked in a legal battle with Bruce over his eventual move to Birmingham, Christmas depressingly saw Palace in mid-table, their form all or nothing, either victory or defeat with only two draws.

Recent form has been all about the happier half of that equation, with four victories on the bounce and just one goal conceded in the last three games. Victory tonight over Coventry would underline their play-off potential.

"We've made significant progress recently,'' agreed Francis. "So we're confident, although there's always something around the corner. It's helpful to have a chairman with the same positive ambition as his manager."

Asked if Simon Jordan has kept his promise to provide "as much money as you need", Francis paused over the correct political phrasing.

"Well . . . I think that's . . . I've bought three players and he's been forthcoming with the money, backing me on those players.

"There's never been any set figure available. He listens to what I have to say. I can't go to him every week requesting a new player. He has a good understanding of the game. We are in agreement on where we need to strengthen the squad. He's very ambitious, like myself.

"As soon as I came here I felt it was a good environment to work in, although it wasn't the most straightforward of starts. Every game seemed to be more difficult than the previous one. But since then, we've played against teams which aren't quite as difficult on paper as some of those we faced when I first arrived. We've capitalised on that."

It helps too that the league is so close.

"What it proves is that you can drop down the league and look as if you are out of contention, and then two weeks later be right back in it," said Francis. "If I were a fan I'd be feeling just like the players and management here - quietly excited about the future."

You wonder if his players are capable of understanding what they have in 47-year-old Francis. Not their fault, as Francis agrees.

The younger the player, the more likely he is to be the focus of his own life. But asked if he is a good communicator with his players, Francis answers immediately in the affirmative.

"It's too much to expect a very young player to have much perspective on the value of a manager," nodded Francis. "That understanding inevitably comes late in your playing career. Footballers are single-minded and often quite selfish in their approach. They look after number one. I can understand that. I did it myself.

"As for me, I'm learning and improving all the time. As a footballer I learned most from five years in Italy.

"Now I'm improving as a manager through 12 years' experience. There's simply no substitute for it. We're too quick to write people off. Look around at the Bobby Robsons and Alex Fergusons. The best managers are the most experienced ones."

Francis was rather moved last week to learn of some words uttered by a fellow Division One manager and ex-team-mate, when Gianluca Vialli enthused at some length about Francis' "inspirational" influence at Sampdoria.

"It was very satisfying to hear that from such a really nice guy," glowed Francis. "Obviously, he was a great player and has been successful as a manager, but the most important thing is the person. He was and still is a super guy.''

No prizes for another name to whom those words might equally apply.