Crystal Palace are expected to sack boss Roy Hodgson, with a former Eintracht Frankfurt coach set to replace him – but who is Oliver Glasner?
Hodgson’s press conference this afternoon was cancelled after Palace announced he had ‘taken ill’ at training.
The Eagles sit 15th in the Premier League table, only five points above the relegation zone.
Hodgson, 76, has been in charge at Selhurst Park since March 2023, having already served as manager of his boyhood club from 2017 to 2021.
However, with Palace struggling for form and fans showing their unrest, the club look set to head in a new direction.
Who is Oliver Glasner?
Oliver Glasner is an Austrian manager who was most recently the head coach of Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.
Glasner, 49, was in charge at Frankfurt for two full seasons and won the Europa League in 2021/22, beating Barcelona, West Ham United and Rangers in the process.
In his second season, Glasner guided Frankfurt out of a Champions League group that featured Tottenham, Sporting Lisbon, and Marseille, but lost to Napoli in the round of 16.
Frankfurt finished seventh in the Bundesliga and also reached the DFB-Pokal final, but Glasner departed his role at the end of the 2022/23 season after discussions with the club’s management.
Interestingly, like Crystal Palace, Frankfurt are nicknamed the Eagles, however Palace will be hoping Glansner experiences a longer tenure in London.
Career Overview
Glasner enjoyed a long playing career as a centre-back for Austrian Bundesliga side SV Ried, making 516 appearances and scoring 27 goals.
After developing a brain haemorrhage in 2011, Glasner was advised to retire by doctors following successful surgery.
His coaching career began in July 2012 after being named assistant coach to Roger Schmidt at RB Leipzig.
Glasner experienced success in Austria with Schmidt and was named manager of his former club SV Ried ahead of the 2014/15 season.
After just one season, Glasner joined Austrian second division side LASK and led them to promotion in 2015/16, his first year in charge.
LASK returned to Europe for the first time since 2000 under Glasner and finished second in the Austrian Bundesliga in 2018/19 behind RB Salzburg.
German club VfL Wolfsburg hired Glasner as their manager in 2019, finishing seventh in the Bundesliga in his first season.
Wolfsburg continued to improve under Glasner’s management, finishing fourth in 2020/21 and achieving qualification to the Champions League.
He was subsequently hired by Eintracht Frankfurt, but the Austrian has had a break from management since departing Frankfurt at the end of the 2023 season.
Glasner would become only the fourth Crystal Palace manager not from Great Britain or Ireland, following Attilio Lombardo, Frank de Boer, and Patrick Vieira.
Feature image credit: Steindy
