Thursday 24 December 2015 16:19, UK
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew says he is in early talks about a new contract but thinks it will be some time before anything is finalised.
However, there is no doubt Pardew is happy in his job and he thinks the Eagles can rise to even greater heights following the confirmation of big-money investment from Americans Josh Harris and David Blitzer.
Pardew left Newcastle to take charge at Selhurst Park at the start of 2015, with a fight against relegation looking on the cards.
However, the Eagles have enjoyed a superb year and, having cruised to a mid-table finish last term, they sit sixth in the 2015/16 Premier League standings ahead of their Boxing Day trip to Bournemouth.
Pardew's current contract still has two and a half years to run but preliminary talks are already under way about an extension.
However, the manager thinks it is more important that the club takes advantage of what he sees as a fantastic opportunity to grow.
Asked when an extended contract might be agreed, Pardew said: "There has been some discussion but it is a long way off, I think.
We could become a bigger club, because we're in London. That gives us a massive advantage. No disrespect to the rest of the country, it just does, location-wise for international players, for access to their families.
"The bottom line is we're in a great place.
"It's very difficult not to change the dynamics of a club running very, very well when new owners come in but I think David (Blitzer) and Josh (Harris) are keen for it to progress as it has been progressing.
"Obviously, it has been very successful
"(Chairman) Steve Parish is in control and has tried to put foundations for the club to go forward.
"We could become a bigger club, because we're in London. That gives us a massive advantage.
"No disrespect to the rest of the country, it just does, location-wise for international players, for access to their families.
"So we've got an opportunity that we're going to try to grasp."
Asked if his own success might lead to interest from other clubs, Pardew brushed the suggestion aside.
"This club is everybody, from the chairman down, pushing in one direction, and I include the fans as well," he said. "It really is a special place for this football club.
"I think fans are pinching themselves about where we are and that is how we want to keep it."
Pardew thinks qualification for Europe is next on the agenda for the Eagles, who on Saturday will bid for their 10th win of the Premier League campaign, and their 12th away win of the calendar year.
"For me sitting here as the manager, nine wins speaks for itself," said Pardew.
"That's the big target we've hit this year, only three or four other clubs have done that.
"It's a great achievement, and we have a great set of players all very, very focused on trying to do for the second part of the season what we've done all calendar year.
"If we do that then we're going to find ourselves in Europe.
"This club never has reached Europe. We qualified when I was a player here, but unfortunately there was an international ban so we couldn't play.
"So that would be significant for the club, in this era it will be a fantastic achievement.
"It's a long, long way to go, but I'm buoyed by the fact that it's not just the first half of this season. We did it at the back-end of last season too.
"For a 35-game period, we've been very strong."
