Oliver Glasner will hope that the international break in March is a beneficial trip for his Crystal Palace players ahead of the crucial final weeks of the season, and not a blow to their recent form.
It’s been a difficult season for the Eagles, however, who have reached the quarter-finals of Europe, with a recent burst of form in the Premier League allaying fears of relegation.
However, chairman Steve Parish will know that the Austrian player has been the architect of this rich period in the history of the Eagles, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025.
With Glasner having confirmed that he will be leaving when his contract expires this summer, it will be a bit of a wait to see who will be chosen to step into his shoes.
Palace lists Glasner instead
With Tottenham Hotspur closing in on Roberto De Zerbi, the chances of Crystal Palace securing a deal for the out-of-work Sean Dyche are increasing, although that is not an appointment that will go down well with fans, given his style.
Crystal Palace are planning to replace Glasner with the next Roy Hodgson
Crystal Palace will appoint a new manager at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Thomas Frank is also an option, but the Dane’s attack at Tottenham Hotspur is over, and there may be interest in the developing manager to improve the foundations that Glasner has laid in the last few years.
However, Parish is open-minded, and is even looking to sign Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, who, like Glasner, is out of contract this summer.
Iraola, 43, has reshaped the Cherries into an attack-focused outfit, and despite interest from fellow Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, as well as the Premier League’s top flight, the Eagles have been on a roll in recent months and could mount a surprise challenge here.
The managerial merry-go-round seems set to run full steam ahead this summer, and Crystal Palace can continue to improve as European rivals with a coach like Iraola.
Why Iraola is good for Crystal Palace
Tottenham will appoint De Zerbi, while Crystal Palace could get their own version of the Italian manager in Iraola, the man who could come to beat him as Premier League manager.
The ex-Brighton manager is widely regarded for his attacking football, with an emphasis on tactical play, and Iraola shares with his peers the record of arriving on the south coast and turning a top-flight club into a respectable one.
Iraola has done an impressive job at the Vitality Stadium, turning Bournemouth into one of the sharpest and most exciting teams in the Premier League.
Outside of the country’s so-called big clubs, his southern coasters have created more xG than any other team in the Premier League, and if he can harness the goal-scoring qualities of Palace’s forwards, the gap in such sides could be closed in north London.
|
Premier League 25/26 – Top Goals Expected (xG) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
The team |
Goals |
xG |
|
(1) Chelsea |
53 |
59.3 |
|
(2) Man City |
60 |
55.3 |
|
(3) Man United |
56 |
53.2 |
|
(4) Arsenal |
61 |
52.7 |
|
(5) Liverpool |
50 |
51.1 |
|
(6) Bournemouth |
46 |
50.0 |
|
(10) The Crystal Palace |
33 |
45.8 |
Expected Goals (xG) is a metric designed to measure the chance of a shot leading to a goal.
Iraola’s intense pressure and hunger to outscore his rivals could prove perfect for the impending change at Selhurst Park. Glasner will be a tough man to replace, but Iraola has been called “the best young coach in the world” by Sky Sports reporter Sam Tighe, and he has the management skills to prove it.
In addition, the Spaniard uses a flexible formation, dropping from 4-2-3-1 to a more dense 4-3-3 formation in his absence.
There are many variables that will determine whether Iraola will move to London and take up the job at Selhurst Park. Should Palace win the Conference League, they will earn a ticket to next year’s Europa League.
Iraola could be an absolute steal for Crystal Palace, and is certainly not an easy signing to get on the books. If Parrish can pull it off, it may end up being his achievement in retrospect.
Crystal Palace eye ‘shock move’ for trophy-winning manager to replace Oliver Glasner
The Eagles plan to be drafted on purpose.
