New Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer is dedicated to attacking football and promoting young talent... exciting times should lie ahead at Selhurst Park

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To say that incoming Crystal Palace manager Frank de Boer will represent something of a departure from his predecessor Sam Allardyce is a gross understatement.

Their styles are like chalk and cheese, with the Dutchman's absolute commitment to free-flowing, attacking football serving as a much-needed new broom after the pragmatism of Allardyce's relegation rescue mission.

Palace will unveil De Boer as their 59th manager on Monday afternoon, just over a month after 62-year-old Allardyce effectively announced his retirement after steering the Eagles to Premier League safety.

Frank de Boer will be unveiled as the new Crystal Palace manager on Monday afternoon

The Dutch coach, photographed here for the Daily Mail back in February, has previously managed at Ajax and Inter Milan

Now the south London club must look to the future and to build something lasting on a rock-steady foundation of youth, while promoting an exciting brand of football.

Palace don't want to merely survive in England's top division, but thrive, and they are confident that De Boer, 47, is their man.

It is easy to see why he could be a successful match. Palace's transfer budget is dwarfed by many of their Premier League opponents, but De Boer prospered at Ajax by promoting or acquiring young players and selling on at profit.

While Palace's academy doesn't compare to that of the Dutch giants, De Boer will be optimistic of finding some gems and bringing them through.

De Boer's job pitch to the Palace hierarchy included a detailed analysis of their current squad, after which he concluded that players between the ages of 21 and 24 should be brought in.

There is then his fondness for quick, direct wingers, as seen during his successful five-and-a-half years at Ajax. The Palace faithful have become accustomed to seeing the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie tearing down the flanks as their main focus of attack, so this is another tick.

De Boer impressed Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish (centre) with an analysis of the squad

De Boer, 47, won four Dutch league titles on the bounce with Ajax between 2011 and 2014

As his twin brother Ronald, with whom he shares a Twitter account, said this week: 'His DNA is Ajax. We've both been brought up by Ajax and the Ajax philosophy and also with Barcelona. You know Frank is not kick and rush.'

De Boer is also a manager who comes into a role with the intention of staying for five years and making his mark. He certainly isn't a quick-fix solution, in and out in a few months.

He is a grafter as well. Frank will be the first to arrive at Palace's leafy Beckenham training complex and the last to leave.

During his ill-fated 85-day spell in charge of Inter Milan, De Boer mastered Italian in six weeks and used it fluently in press conferences.

De Boer might have feared his time at the San Siro, which lasted a mere 14 games during the first half of last season, would undo all the excellent work he did beforehand at Ajax. 

But Palace clearly understood the mitigating circumstances that Inter were in the throes of a messy Chinese takeover and the new owners liked to stick their oar in.

Instead, chairman Steve Parish preferred to concentrate on De Boer's achievements at Ajax, where he won four consecutive Eredivisie titles between 2011 and 2014. 

De Boer won 112 caps for Holland between 1990 and 2004, the third-highest total ever

In a stellar career, De Boer played for Ajax, Barcelona (pictured), Galatasaray and Rangers

While Peter Bosz was able to take them to the Europa League final last season, it was on a foundation of De Boer's construction given the impressive collection of young players he brought through.

When he took over at the Amsterdam ArenA back in December 2010, the club he had proudly represented as a no-nonsense defender for 11 years had lost their way.

Without a league title in six years, Ajax had lost their lustre. It was certainly a contrast to his playing days there, when the vibrant teams of Leo Beenhakker and Louis van Gaal swept aside all-comers, winning five league titles and the Champions League, their crowning glory, in 1995.

De Boer was at the vanguard of a takeover by the members of that great side and slowly worked to turn their fortunes around, restoring the traditional faith in youth and a winning mentality.

De Boer was assisted by Denis Bergkamp, his former Ajax team-mate, while in charge 

De Boer promoted an attacking brand of football when at Ajax and promoting young players

With the likes of Marc Overmars, Denis Bergkamp, Wim Jonk and Edwin van der Sar involved day-to-day in the running of the club, the Ajax of De Boer nurtured a succession of brilliant players and then sold at a profit.

Among them were Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Daley Blind and Jasper Cillessen. Davy Klaasen, the latest of the bunch, recently moved to Everton for £23.6million.

De Boer draws inspiration from Van Gaal and Johan Cruyff. We can expect Palace to line up in 4-3-3 formation and attempt to play possession football as much as possible with a hard press to regain it.

There will be instructions to move the ball as quickly as possible to the wingers and they will be encouraged to use their speed and trickery to take on and beat defenders.

Ajax certainly came up against plenty of massed defences in the Dutch league, but De Boer isn't fond of the continuous sideways passing and stretching of, say, Van Gaal's Manchester United.

De Boer was at the vanguard of a group of Ajax legends who turned around their fortunes

But his 85-day spell at Inter was ill-fated and he lasted just 14 matches in charge at the San Siro

The wingers and wing-backs will be the ones tasked with dragging defenders out of their comfort zone, before striking in behind with speed and efficiency.

De Boer believes this will be the most effective method to unpick Premier League defences and, if he sticks to it, Palace should certainly be an exciting watch next season.

But, with all due respect to what he has experienced before, the English top-flight will offer a far tougher challenge for De Boer and defensive strength will be just as important.

His brief time at Inter has raised a few questions but Palace don't seem to mind. De Boer is a manager who brings exciting possibilities and a willingness to build for the long-term.