Crystal Palace

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

So, Roy Hodgson's second spell at Crystal Palace is over. The heavy favourite to replace him is Oliver Glasner, but who is the Austrian manager?

A solid but not eye-catching central defender, Glasner spent almost his entire 16-year playing career at SV Ried where he achieved two promotions to the Austrian Bundesliga and won two Austrian Cups.

After being forced to retire following an operation on a brain haemorrhage, he began his managerial career as an assistant at Red Bull Salzburg before becoming the boss at former team Ried.

The now 49-year-old then moved to LASK in the 2015–16 season as a director of sport, as well as head coach, and enjoyed a successful four years in which he restored the club to the Austrian Bundesliga and delivered their first European campaign since 2000.

Glasner swapped Austria for Germany in 2019 where he took Wolfsburg to the Europa League in his first season and Champions League in his second.

From there, he joined Eintracht Frankfurt, winning the 2022 Europa League and reaching the Champions League knockout stages and German Cup final in 2023.

Glasner's coaching style revolves around high-pressing, counter-attacking football. His teams tend to press high, close spaces in the middle of the pitch and adapt to the particular demands of their opposition for any certain game.

In 2022, former Bayern Munich manager and current Wolfsburg boss Niko Kovac - a predecessor of Glasner at Frankfurt - explained what made the Austrian such a good manager.

"He’s very structured, very well organised, meticulous, observes the opposition very closely and prepares the team very well for them," said Kovac.

"He doesn’t just let Eintracht run their boots off. He adjusts tactics and tries to simulate the opponent during the week in training.

"Oliver has transferred his ideas of football well to his team because he works methodically, because there’s no chopping and changing."

This will surely be music to the ears of Palace fans, many of whom believe Hodgson's approach became stale and predictable.

Of course there are other candidates available - Steve Cooper and Graham Potter, for example - but Glasner appears to be a viable and sensible option who has strong ideas that he can implement immediately.

Roy Hodgson has stepped down as manager of Crystal Palace.

What do you think of his exit? How will he be remembered? And what next for the Eagles.

Get in touch with your thoughts here

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish says the club "owe" their "continued Premier League status" to Roy Hodgson, who has stepped down as manager.

The 76-year-old managed 200 games across six seasons.

"Roy has a special place in Crystal Palace history and this will never be forgotten," said Parish.

"After four years in which he led the club to maintaining Premier League status season after season, he once again joined us nearly a year ago to steady the ship, and worked wonders.

"That he then agreed to continue in the summer speaks volumes about his commitment to our club. Quite simply, we owe our continued Premier League status to Roy.

"I would like to thank Roy enormously for his service and wish him the very best for the future. It’s fair to say Roy has the keys to Selhurst Park and will always be welcomed back."

Image source, PA Media

Roy Hodgson says he is "confident the season will finish well" for Crystal Palace and has wished the team "every success in the weeks, months and seasons to come" after stepping down as manager of the Eagles.

Hodgson returned to Selhurst Park for a second spell in charge late last season and, having steered Palace away from relegation trouble, he agreed to stay on in the role.

But his position has been under scrutiny for several weeks, with Palace five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

Last week, the former England boss was taken ill during a training session.

Announcing his exit, Hodgson said: "This club is very special and means so much to me and has played a big part in my footballing life. I have fully enjoyed my time here across six seasons, as it has given me the chance to work with top-class players and staff doing what I love every day.

"However, I understand, given recent circumstances, it may be prudent at this time for the club to plan ahead, and therefore I have taken the decision to step aside so that the club can bring forward their plans for a new manager, as intended for this summer.

"I would like to thank Steve Parish and his American partners for their support, along with my coaching staff and backroom team who have helped me so much along the way. In particular, a huge thank you to my long-term friend and assistant, Ray Lewington; coaches Dean Kiely and Paddy McCarthy; plus the excellent sports science, video analysis and medical departments.

"My thanks and respect also to the current squad of players who have been a pleasure to work with - they are a credit to the club and themselves. I am certain that our fans will continue to give their full support to the team for the remainder of this season and beyond.

"I am confident that the season will finish well and I wish the team every success in the weeks, months and seasons to come."

Oliver Glasner is expected to be confirmed as the new manager at Crystal Palace "once the game is out of the way", as the Eagles prepare to face Everton on Monday.

That's the view of BBC reporter Alex Howell, who says Glasner has been on the radar of the owners at Palace for some time.

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

It's a complicated time at Crystal Palace at the moment. Roy Hodgson was set to be replaced by Oliver Glasner before falling ill at training on Friday.

Hodgson is understood to be doing well in his recovery and the club have been focusing on his health. The change was going to be made and the timing of Hodgson falling ill has made it a tricky situation to navigate.

Assistant manager Paddy McCarthy and first team coach Ray Lewington are expected to lead the Palace team this evening for the match against Everton at Goodison Park.

It's a big game for both sides but Palace have started to look over their shoulder after a poor run of form, which has seen them drop closer to the relegation zone.

Glasner was pictured at Tottenham at the weekend, a team Palace play in two weeks time, so it could be that his appointment will be confirmed once tonight's match is out of the way.

Image source, Reuters

Crystal Palace will start Monday's crucial Premier League game at Everton five points above the relegation zone and hoping to avoid a third successive league defeat.

Manager Roy Hodgson will not be on the touchline, however, after he was taken ill during a training session on Thursday.

Matt Woosnam, who covers Crystal Palace for The Athletic, told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast: "For Palace, [losing the match] would certainly show they're very much in a relegation battle. It would give Everton presumably a bit more confidence and it would further dent Palace's confidence after a very bruising few weeks.

"Palace definitely need a result tonight. Everton is a very difficult place to go, it's an intimidating atmosphere and it's difficult circumstances given what happened with Roy Hodgson at the end of last week."

BBC pundit Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on rapper Songer, who is a Chelsea fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

There has been something of a malaise around Crystal Palace recently but they were actually very spirited in their defeat against Chelsea on Monday.

The Eagles have missed their big guns, though. Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have not played enough for them this season.

I looked into it for the Monday Night Club and Olise has made only eight Premier League starts in 2023-24. Eze has 13 but together they have only made four starts. They are the go-to guys for them in an attacking sense and they have not been available.

Everton will see this as an incredible opportunity to end their long wait for three points and I bet Sean Dyche will fire them up.

They need a win anyway, but it will be especially important if the teams around them pick up points earlier in the weekend.

Songer's prediction: 1-0

Palace fans are unhappy enough as it is, even before they threw their lead away against us [Chelsea] on Monday.

I think the Eagles players heads will be down whereas Everton always seem to pull something out of the bag when it matters most.

Read all of Sutton's predictions for this weekend's games

Oliver Glasner has agreed a two-and-a-half-year deal to succeed Roy Hodgson as Crystal Palace manager. (Sky Sports), external

Want more news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Alex Howell
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is doing well after being taken ill in training yesterday.

The 76-year-old was unwell during the session at the training ground yesterday and his news conference was cancelled.

Hodgson’s wellbeing is the club’s main focus but it is understood that they are also working through the possible succession plans.

Oliver Glasner is the strong favourite to become Palace's next manager and it is understood that a deal for him to take over is close.

Here are the key facts and figures ahead of Monday's game between Everton and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

• Following their 3-2 win at Selhurst Park back in November, Everton are looking to complete their first league double over Crystal Palace since 2004-05.

• After winning back-to-back away league games against Everton 3-2 in 2014, Crystal Palace are winless in their last eight visits to Goodison Park (D3 L5).

• Everton have drawn their last two Premier League matches at Goodison Park – they haven’t drawn three in a row at home since a run of four in January/February 2015.

• Crystal Palace have lost their last three away Premier League matches, shipping 11 goals in these games. The Eagles haven’t lost more consecutively since losing their final four away games in the 2019-20 season.

• Since a run of four consecutive Premier League wins in December, Everton haven’t won any of their last seven games (D3 L4). They have only scored four times in this run and failed to find the net in four of their last five.

• This will be Crystal Palace’s second successive Premier League match played on a Monday, after their 1-3 defeat to Chelsea last week. Indeed, it will be the Eagles’ 16th Monday fixture in the competition over the last four seasons (2020-21 to 2023-24), at least two more than any other club.

• In all competitions, Everton’s only win in their last 11 games (D5 L5) was at home against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup in January.

• Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has never won a Premier League match at Goodison Park in 10 attempts, with five different clubs (D2 L8). The only stadium he’s managed more games at without winning is Vicarage Road (11 – three away from home, eight as manager of Watford).

• Everton manager Sean Dyche has won seven Premier League matches against Crystal Palace, only winning more against Bournemouth (8). He’s unbeaten in seven against the Eagles (W4 D3) since a 2-0 defeat with Burnley in November 2019.

Former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner has agreed to take charge of Crystal Palace, who are expected to part ways with Roy Hodgson. (Times - subscription required), external

Want more news? Read Friday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is undergoing tests in hospital after being taken ill in training earlier today.

On Thursday, it was reported Hodgson was set to be sacked.

His lunchtime news conference was postponed when the club stated he was unwell.

The Eagles have now tweeted: "Following news that Roy Hodgson was taken ill during today’s training session, we can confirm that he is now stable and is currently undergoing tests in hospital. Everybody at the club sends their best wishes to Roy for a speedy recovery."

Image source, Getty Images

Crystal Palace fan and comedian Kevin Day speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live following news that Roy Hodgson is set to be sacked as manager:

"With our dysfunctional management structure you never know what is happening from one day to the next. [Sporting director] Dougie Freedman could be out in Germany talking to Oliver Glasner or he might be testing some Riesling’s for the boardroom. Who knows? It is impossible to predict.

"The timing of it is really strange. Every Palace fan will acknowledge what he has done for Crystal Palace and what he has done for football.

"I interviewed him for about two hours before Christmas for a podcast and he was brilliant. He's articulate, he's intelligent, he's clever, he's witty. But, it was clear to me and everyone in the podcast that he is disillusioned with the modern game and with each game that goes by, it is the things he says after the games that make you wonder if his heart is in it.

"No Crystal Palace manager would have survived the debacle of the Brighton game. Losing in the way we did, with fans fighting amongst each other and fighting with the players. How he survived that is beyond me. Because he did survive that, a lot of the more moderate Palace fans would have assumed that he would be here until the end of the season and there is no point sacking him now.

"[Oliver Glasner] is clearly a good manager but he is from a completely different environment and to bring him in as a troubleshooter at this stage of the season seems a bit odd. At this point, I would not be surprised if they announce that Hodgson will be our manager until the end of the season and Glasner will then takeover.

"At the moment Steve Parish seems to be running the club based on whatever banner is being flown at the end of it by the fans."

As reports swirl that Roy Hodgson is set to be dismissed by Crystal Palace, we've taken a look at his record.

The manager was due to hold a news conference today but it has been cancelled, with the club stating he "was taken ill during this morning’s training session".

Crystal Palace have lined up former Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner to take over if they sack Roy Hodgson. (Guardian), external

Everton and Crystal Palace are monitoring Marseille's 23-year-old Senegal striker Iliman Ndiaye. (La Provence via Sport Witness), external

Manchester United are eyeing a move for Crystal Palace's 22-year-old French winger Michael Olise, 22. (90min) , external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Crystal Palace have been frustrated in their attempts to persuade Kieran McKenna to leave Ipswich and replace Roy Hodgson as manager but are hopeful the Northern Irishman could take over at the end of the season. (Guardian), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Alex Pewter
Fan writer

Few outside Crystal Palace expected Roy Hodgson to oversee Monday’s game with Chelsea. Based on the chairman’s programme notes - that failed to mention his manager by name - perhaps the club were not expecting it either.

Yet, despite negative discourse following the defeat to Brighton, Hodgson proceeded to take first-team training and successfully navigated what could have been a problematic news conference on Thursday.

Unfortunately for the Palace manager, despite a spirited first half and an unlikely lead courtesy of Jefferson Lerma, this game ended in the usual fashion for this encounter.

Few head-to-head records could be as severely one-sided as Chelsea vs Crystal Palace. This defeat made it thirteen in a row in the Premier League, the last win being Hodgson’s first league victory at the club back in October 2017.

The dilemma now for Steve Parish and the rest of the club’s hierarchy is whether this performance, even in defeat, warrants delaying a managerial change. In any case, Hodgson is a lame-duck manager, as by his own admission, these next 14 games will likely be his last in football.

Numerically, the team may need to win four of those matches to reach a 36-point threshold worthy of survival. With injuries and squad options being what they are, finding a head coach who would carry the team beyond this summer may still be prudent.

The crowd, while deflated by late defeat, was in good voice for most of the match, leaving impressed by home debuts for Adam Wharton and Daniel Munoz and encouraged by a first league start for Matheus Franca.

It would appear this club still has fight in it for whoever finishes the season in the dugout.

Alex Pewter can be found on the FYP podcast, external

Image source, PA Media

Roy Hodgson believes his Crystal Palace squad are good enough to move clear of relegation trouble in the Premier League.

Palace conceded two late goals against Chelsea as they fell to their third loss in four league games, leaving the Eagles five points above the relegation zone.

The club's two attacking talismen, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze, missed the Chelsea match because of injury problems.

"It's a bad period, which has been caused in particular by the injury situation," Hodgson said, "but there are 14 games [left]. That's a lot of games, a lot of points, and a lot of matches to be played.

"I think we've shown enough, even in some of the other defeats we've had. There's been lots of games where, really, things could have gone a little bit better for us so I don't have any concerns in that respect.

"But I do want to emphasise that there's no complacency here. We realise that we're at the wrong end of the table and we realise that the points are very necessary for us to climb away from the relegation zone.

"But if the question is do I think that this group of players are good enough to get us out now? I do. I think they showed a lot [against Chelsea] which gives me even more faith and belief."

Image source, Getty Images

Former Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend has been speaking to the Football Daily podcast about the manager situation at Selhurst Park.

"They went with the young up and coming manager [Vieira] who wants to play on the front foot and keep possession," says Townsend.

"From the outside, it looked like it was working. Yes, they had a sticky period [under Vieira], but it looked like it was working in a three-year plan, they were moving forward and I think they got to an FA Cup semi-final.

"They were progressing in the league and playing good football and they decided to go back to Roy Hodgson.

"Hodgson at 75/76 years of age is not going to suddenly come out of retirement and be Pep Guardiola. You know what you are going to get from him, solidity. I don’t now what they expected this time around."

Listen to the latest Football Daily episode here

We asked you for your thoughts on Monday night's Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea

Here are some of your comments:

Palace fans

Mike: I’m not so upbeat as others on this one. The facts are that our passing accuracy is abysmal and especially so from defence. Tyrick Mitchell is a weakness and Chelsea exploited that. Our touches in the final third continue to be a problem. We are now very much in a relegation battle, like it or not.

Samuel: Obviously we lost, and the circumstances were rather humiliating — Gallagher scoring a brace is tough to swallow. But regardless, I thought Jefferson Lerma’s individual performance was exceptionally good, and Matheus Franca found his footing as the game progressed. The performance of these new signings will be key for us given our injuries.

Des: Dean Henderson needs to be removed from goal as he is a total liability! Every time Palace get their act together he concedes goals. Twenty in eight games so far? This is unacceptable. Since he arrived at the club, he has struggled in goal whilst Roy decided to leave England international Sam Johnstone on the bench. Henderson was a very bad buy and has been unlucky for us.

Chelsea fans

Kevin: A bad first half, a better second half and Conor Gallagher must sign a new contract. We needed three points and got them. We need a world-class striker and a new right-back.

Nick: Fans wondered before the game which Chelsea team would show up for this match. The answer? Both of them. The first half was flat, slow and insipid. The second much better - well, enough to beat a weak Palace team anyway. Will need to be much more incisive and focused, and for 90+ minutes, to get anything out of the visit to Manchester City on Saturday.

Fossie: First-half performance was lacklustre with the ball being passed across the back line and being played backwards. The fact we had no forward momentum was shown by only one shot at goal. Fortunately, the second half was a different story and the little tweaks that Pochettino made at half-time worked really well. Chelsea need to play like the second half for 90 minutes and the results will come.