- Oliver Glasner on his Crystal Palace exit
- Says he has his “reasons”
- Asked about his successor
Oliver Glasner has shed light on his stance regarding his Crystal Palace exit and insisted he’s only focused on a successful end to the season. He is preparing his squad for the second leg of a European semi-final.
Palace face Shakhtar Donetsk at Selhurst Park tomorrow night and are 3-1 up on aggregate. A UEFA Conference League final is almost within reach.
During the rollercoaster ride of a season and a debut European campaign to remember, Glasner’s future has remained a major talking point. The Austrian confirmed his intentions to leave in January at the end of the season.
Glasner Only Focused on Conference League
Palace’s surge towards potential European glory has many speculating over a potential U-turn. But the manager has made clear that he is sticking to his word.
During his pre-match press conference ahead of Shakhtar, Glasner was asked whether fans were approaching him in public to ask him to stay. The Austrian joked:
“A few. No most of them just want a selfie when I take the tube. Some are just saying ‘thank you for this exciting two years we all had together.’ I see myself just as part of this group, I couldn’t do anything alone. It’s really the players because they always listen and work so hard.”
Glasner then delved into his decision to leave Palace and explained:
“I decided and I have my reasons for this but I always said that I and we want to end the season in the best possible way. Now it’s staying focused, players have to stay focused, I have to stay focused.”
Glasner has been in charge of Palace since February 2024 when he arrived as Roy Hodgson’s replacement. He has overseen 51 wins in 115 games including an FA Cup final victory at Wembley last season.
Glasner Snubs Question Over Successor
Palace have reportedly drawn up a shortlist of potential Glasner replacements, including Andoni Iraola and Frank Lampard. It was put to the Austrian whether winning the Conference League could make the job more appealing:
“You can ask me this question after the final but it’s not a topic today. Today is the semi final, so taking it step by step is the best thing.”
Glasner then joked about helping the board choose a successor although this was clearly tongue in cheek. He continued to deflect questions about his future and made clear the focus is on the Conference League.
