Sam Allardyce has admitted Wilfried Zaha’s potential involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast next month would be a “massive blow” for Crystal Palace and was left to bemoan the non-award of a penalty for a foul on the winger as his return to Premier League management ended in a draw at Watford.
Zaha, capped twice by England in friendlies, has applied to Fifa to play competitively for Ivory Coast, the country of his birth, and, if selected, could be absent for over a month from early January for the tournament in Gabon. Gareth Southgate is attempting to persuade the 24-year-old to remain eligible for England and Allardyce, four days into his role, will sit down with the player next week to ascertain his thought process.
Yet the prospect of being without Zaha has alarmed him. The winger was a menace in the 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road and crumpled under Miguel Britos’ challenge three minutes from time, only to be cautioned for simulation by the referee, Mark Clattenburg. “I do think there was a penalty,” said Allardyce, who had seen Christian Benteke’s first-half penalty saved by Heurelho Gomes. “There may be an argument that the first contact is made outside the box, but it would have been difficult for the referee and assistant to judge that. To get nothing at all, and to see Wilfried booked, is very disappointing. There’s definitely contact on Wilfried.
“You’ll have to ask the referees, ask [ Professional Game Match Officials Board manager] Mike Riley [if Zaha’s reputation is influencing referees’ decisions]. Are they looking out for him? You need to ask Riley. But if they are refereeing on reputation and not fact or incident, that’s a black mark against them. And if someone is diving, they don’t get that angry. If you’ve tried to pinch one, you don’t get that angry, do you? You say: ‘I’ve got away with that one’, don’t you? I’ve seen it. There’s contact but, really, missing our own penalty was the real turning point for us.”
Zaha was further riled after the final whistle when the home side’s mascot, Harry the Hornet, made a comedy dive in front of him. The winger had to be ushered down the tunnel by members of Palace’s fitness staff. “The mascot is out of order, isn’t he?” Allardyce said. “That’s up to Watford to sort that out, really. The Premier League and FA can look at that and do what they want to do. It could have [provoked] the wrong reaction.”
Asked about Zaha’s absence if Fifa complete the paperwork on his switch back to Ivory Coast, Allardyce added: “I haven’t had long enough yet to sit him down and ask him about it. It only popped up today, that he might be going to the Africa Cup of Nations, so I’ll have to find it out next week when I sit down with him. It would obviously be a massive blow for me and Crystal Palace [if he goes to Gabon].”
The former England manager had not overseen a Premier League game since Sunderland’s 2-2 draw in this arena on the final day of last season. “It was exciting to be back,” he said. “I don’t enjoy games very much as a manager – I never have – but it’s great to be back in this league, the best in the world, and competing against teams with outstanding players and managers. We gave away a silly penalty of our own today and we hadn’t scored our own in the first half but there’s a lot to be encouraged about.
“I have a lot of quality and experienced players here: people who played exceptionally well in 2015 for Palace and other clubs; players like Yohan Cabaye at Newcastle and PSG, Wilf looking mature now after his time at Manchester United, Andros Townsend being an England player, Benteke being goals galore if you give him the supply. They shouldn’t be in this position. Using that experience should get them out of trouble.”
