Let's be honest with Zinedine Zidane having left Real Madrid the name on everyone's lips is Alan Pardew. But in 2015 his name was only on Steve Parish's lips with the Palace chairman genuinely linking him to Real.
Just how do you follow Zinedine Zidane? Florentino Perez has to find someone who can get as much or more out of a side that have just won three Champions League titles in a row, no easy task.
The Frenchman quit yesterday, in one of the more shocking football stories of recent times, just days after winning the Champions League yet again.
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Wenger, Pochettino, Conte, Guti, Curbishley, Allegri, Low, Sarri, Klopp- all the big names are being linked with potentially taking the job.
One man who shouldn't be anywhere near the list or any list for a job vacancy is Alan Pardew. Pardiola was recently sacked for being rubbish at West Brom.
However last time Real were looking for a manager, in 2016, Pards then boss, Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish, had linked the Englishman with the role just weeks before.
In December 2015 Parish genuinely told BBC 5 Live:
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"We want Alan to stay at the club a very long time.
"But who knows what will happen, if Real Madrid want Alan Pardew then I'm sure we wouldn't stand in his way.
"Everyone wants to get to the best point they can in their career but I know right now that Alan is very happy here.
"He's not thinking about anything other than being here, we're not thinking about anything else, and if something comes up because we're very successful what can we do about it?"
Look at that quote, that is very much the ramblings of a man who thinks that Pardew could be the man to take over at Real at that time.
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At the time Pards was flying high with Palace, sixth in the Premier League, and Rafa Benitez was under pressure at the Bernabeu despite only being at the club since the previous summer.
But seriously Alan Pardew as Real Madrid manager. This was a season when Leicester were top of the table and somehow Parish is trying to link his manager with the biggest job in football.
Of course at the end of that season the 56 year old led his side to the FA Cup final where he showed off his infamous wiggle before losing his job just a year after the Real links.
Oh how much I'd love to see Pardiola in charge of Real right now, make it happen.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, Zinedine Zidane, Champions League, Real Madrid, La Liga, Crystal Palace