Thursday 14 September 2017 17:42, UK
Roy Hodgson has demanded character, desire, passion and enthusiasm from his Crystal Palace players as they attempt to get their season back on track.
Palace have lost their opening four top-flight games without scoring a goal, the first club to do so in the Premier League, and Frank de Boer was sacked on Monday.
Former England manager Hodgson, who was born in Croydon and was on Palace's books without breaking through into the first team, admits work needs to be done to lift them off the bottom of the table.
But he was encouraged by many aspects of their 1-0 defeat to Burnley and is looking for a positive response when they face Southampton, live on Sky Sports on Saturday.
"What I always look for in every game is character, I am looking for desire and people who share your passion and enthusiasm," Hodgson told Sky Sports News in an exclusive interview.
"You are also looking for people who at least give the impression they are trying to do what the team wants them to do.
"At the moment, I think we have a lot of work to do for me to feel fully confident that every player fully understands with his role what I am looking for and what I would like him to do.
"I want to see a team that shows the fans that they really care.
"We have lost four games and the last one I watched really closely. I didn't see too much lack of commitment, or desire or fight in that game, so I don't expect to see it on Saturday."
Watch Crystal Palace v Southampton on Saturday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League at 11:30am.
