Crystal Palace swoop for Glasner as Hodgson gets the boot
Crystal Palace have pulled off a stunning coup by landing Oliver Glasner as their new head coach, following the dismissal of Roy Hodgson. The Eagles acted swiftly to secure the services of the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, who had been linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
Glasner, 49, impressed with his attacking style and European success at Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League in 2022. He left the German club at the end of last season and was keen to take on a new challenge in the Premier League.
Palace chairman Steve Parish was convinced that Glasner was the right man to replace Hodgson, who had come under fire from the fans after a dismal run of results. The veteran manager, 76, was sacked after Monday’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea, which left Palace languishing in the relegation zone.
Parish and sporting director Dougie Freedman held talks with Glasner in recent days and agreed a two-year contract, subject to finalising the paperwork. Glasner gave his green light yesterday and is expected to be officially unveiled as Palace’s new head coach today.
Glasner will face a tough task to turn around Palace’s fortunes, as he inherits a squad that has won only six games all season. He will also have to deal with the uncertainty over the future of star winger Michael Olise, who is attracting interest from Manchester United.
However, Glasner is confident that he can bring some much-needed flair and excitement to Selhurst Park, and has already identified some potential targets for the January transfer window. He is reportedly keen on Marseille striker Iliman Ndiaye, who he worked with at Wolfsburg.
Palace fans will be hoping that Glasner can emulate his compatriot Jurgen Klopp, who has transformed Liverpool into one of the best teams in the world. Glasner has been compared to the Reds boss for his charismatic personality and high-intensity approach.
Glasner will take charge of his first game on Monday, when Palace visit Everton at Goodison Park. He will be looking to make an immediate impact and end Palace’s winless run of seven games.
