New Crystal Palace Manager Brings Klopp-like Intensity
Crystal Palace, a club in a Premier League relegation fight, has appointed Oliver Glasner as their new manager. Glasner, the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, has been described as having a “genuine talent for revitalizing struggling sides.” His tactical approach can be described as underdog football, where his teams are most effective when they can hit opponents on the break rather than playing a possession-based style.
Glasner has a background of successfully revitalizing struggling teams, as he did at Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt. However, this is the first time he has taken over a team in the middle of the season while the transfer window is closed. It remains to be seen whether he will be able to connect with the Crystal Palace locker room as quickly and effectively as he did at his previous clubs.
During Frankfurt’s 2021-22 campaign, Glasner showed a Klopp-like intensity, supporting his players through gestures and instructions. However, things took a bad turn during the 2022-23 season when Frankfurt underperformed in the Bundesliga. Glasner became increasingly irritated in press conferences, which strained his relationship with the club’s management.
Despite his success with Frankfurt in the Europa League, Glasner has to prove he can stay level-headed when dealing with losses and questions about his management ability. Crystal Palace is hoping that Glasner’s style of attacking football will bring out the best in their young squad. The main challenge Glasner will face is that four of their best players are currently injured.
Glasner spent almost his entire playing career with Austrian side SV Ried before retiring due to a brain haemorrhage. After successful surgery and recovery, he began his coaching career in 2012. He has earned a favorable reputation around Europe and has worked under mentors such as Ralf Rangnick.
Glasner’s managerial career includes stints at Red Bull Salzburg, LASK, Wolfsburg, and Eintracht Frankfurt. At LASK, he took the club from the second tier to a second-place finish in the top flight and a spot in the Champions League third qualifying round. He achieved Champions League qualification with Wolfsburg but left the club due to concerns over their ambition in the transfer market. His time at Frankfurt saw them win the Europa League but also face difficulties in the Bundesliga.
Now, as the new Crystal Palace manager, Glasner’s main goal is to keep the club away from the relegation zone in the remaining 13 games of the Premier League season. With his attacking style of football and intensity reminiscent of Jurgen Klopp, he aims to bring a revitalization to the struggling side. It remains to be seen how quickly he can connect with the squad and cope with the absence of key injured players. Crystal Palace is hopeful that Glasner’s appointment will lead to positive results and a climb up the Premier League table.