Pierre Sage accepted responsibility and apologised to Crystal Palace supporters after Sunday’s damaging 5-0 defeat at Brighton.
The Eagles endured a disastrous start at the Amex, conceding three times within the opening ten minutes. Brighton went on to complete a decisive victory in the derby.
Sage said Palace had failed to compete from the outset and admitted that the team’s preparation, confidence and aggression had not been at the necessary level. He also acknowledged that conceding three goals in such a short period was unacceptable for a match of this nature.
The head coach said the players had discussed the significance of the fixture beforehand, but had not delivered the performance required. He took responsibility for the team’s display and said the supporters deserved considerably more from Palace.
Sage added that he wanted the side to respond in its next match by showing its true level, insisting that the performance at Brighton did not reflect the team’s real identity.
