Oliver Glasner Calls for Palace Unity After Making Peace with Chairman
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has publicly urged fans to remain calm and trust in the club's leadership following a significant reconciliation with chairman Steve Parish. The Austrian manager, who confirmed he will depart at the end of the season when his contract expires, emphasised the importance of collective effort during a challenging period for the south London club.
A Public Truce After Tense Weeks
Glasner revealed details of a recent dinner meeting with Parish that resulted in what he described as a mutual commitment to finish the season strongly. "Steve and I left our dinner, and really both with a big smile we said: 'Hey, we achieved so much all together here in the last 22 months. We don't want and we don't accept that this ends like the last three, four, five weeks have been. We don't accept it,'" Glasner explained during his latest press conference.
The manager continued: "So we stick together, we work hard all together to get an ending this season that it deserves. And this was the commitment we had. And that's what I told the players, and I really shared some insights. This is why we all now have a really good feeling, with the players coming back, that we will get this turnaround and get on a positive track."
Addressing Previous Outburst
This reconciliation comes after Glasner's remarkable public criticism of Parish just weeks earlier, when he accused the chairman of abandoning him and the squad by selling captain Marc Guéhi to Manchester City twenty-four hours before their match at Sunderland. Palace's winless run has since extended to ten matches following that defeat, adding pressure to an already difficult situation.
Despite the controversy surrounding his comments, Glasner expressed no regrets about speaking his mind so openly. "No, I don't think so, but that's Oliver Glasner," he stated firmly. "I want to be Oliver Glasner where I am. This is the most important thing. I want that I'm accepted how I am. If somebody says: 'I don't like this emotional guy,' then it's better not to sign because I think I can't change."
Historical Patterns and Current Challenges
This isn't the first time Glasner has clashed with club leadership over transfer policy. His departure from Eintracht Frankfurt followed similar disagreements with their board, despite leading the German club to Europa League success in 2022. His spell at Wolfsburg also ended after two seasons when he accused the sporting director of failing to honour promises regarding signings.
For Parish, who reportedly considered sacking Glasner after the Sunderland defeat before deciding against it due to limited alternatives, this represents another chapter in managing the outspoken Austrian who replaced Roy Hodgson. The chairman has grown accustomed to Glasner's direct approach since his appointment.
Transfer Window Complications
Glasner disclosed that he had agreed with the board last February that Guéhi would be sold, after Palace rejected substantial offers from Newcastle and Tottenham worth up to £70 million for the England defender. However, the subsequent departure of sporting director Dougie Freedman in March left the club's transfer plans in disarray as they entered the summer window.
Matt Hobbs eventually replaced Freedman, but Glasner expressed dissatisfaction that most of the £67.5 million received from Arsenal for Eberechi Eze wasn't reinvested in the squad as Palace prepared for European competition. The record £35 million signing of Brennan Johnson from Tottenham in January demonstrated some intent, but challenges remain with doubts over Jean-Philippe Mateta's future and the need for an experienced replacement for Guéhi.
Looking Forward with Returning Players
The returns of Daniel Muñoz and Ismaïla Sarr from injury and the Africa Cup of Nations respectively provide a much-needed boost for Sunday's home game against Chelsea. Daichi Kamada and Eddie Nketiah are also expected back within the next couple of weeks, offering Glasner more options as he seeks to improve results.
Addressing Palace supporters directly, Glasner offered reassurance: "I tell the Palace fans: 'Stay calm, trust in the people in the club, they're doing their best,' and that's what we always say when I talk to the chairman. The good thing is we all want the same for Crystal Palace, and that's why I reacted in that way, because I still want the best for Crystal Palace."
He concluded with personal reflection: "I'm not the guy who says: 'I don't care what happens here, in four months I will go back to Austria and whatever.' No, I can't be like this and I think this is part of why I'm successful as a person and as a manager. Because for me, spending 60, 70, 80 hours a week away from my family, this must be more than a job. And it is more than a job for me."
