LONDON (REUTERS) - While allowances are normally made for foreign players coming into the physically demanding world of English football, managers tend not to be given as much time or sympathy.

Dutchman Frank de Boer is the latest one to discover that after losing his first three matches in charge of Crystal Palace without his team scoring a goal.

Only fellow London side West Ham, forced to play their first three games away from home, are keeping Palace off the bottom of the Premier League table.

Saturday's second home defeat, 2-0 against Swansea City, brought predictable abuse from supporters online, of which "nailed on for relegation" was one of the kinder comments, with De Boer accused of being "out of his depth".

Earlier in the week, Palace fans had celebrated the return to the club of former hero and manager Dougie Freedman, who was appointed sporting director.

De Boer, who lasted less than three months in his previous job as coach of Inter Milan said he looked forward to working with him and must hope that together with head of recruitment, Tim Coe, that they can come up with reinforcements before the transfer deadline closes on Thursday.

In the meantime, he has demanded that Palace players show more fight from the whistle.

"We have to show some balls from the first second of the game," De Boer, who succeeded Sam Allardyce in the close season, told the BBC.

"It wasn't until after we were two-nil down that we showed we really can play. It is a very hard lesson for us.

"If we do not show courage, then you get punished. In the second half, you saw a different Palace who creates chance and with a bit of luck, you make one of those," he added.

"It just wasn't the day for us."

De Boer badly needs an improvement when Palace visit Burnley after the international break on Sept 10.