“I’m happy to be part of Crystal Palace,” said the Innviertel native at his first press conference on Friday. “Probably the best players in the world play in the Premier League. There are probably the best coaches in the world here. It’s a new experience, but I’m not a magician either. I always tell the players: you grow with the task. It’s challenging for me, for everyone, but I received a warm welcome from everyone at the club. We all want to get to know each other as quickly as possible so we can improve and collect as many points as possible.”
Glasner also expressed his hope that all fans can be brought on board again. Part of the annex appeared earlier this month with protests against the club’s management. “In bad times you need support. I am sure the fans will immediately support the team in this next game. I am convinced that they will support us until the end of the season,” said Roy Hodgson’s successor.
Glasner’s plans for Crystal Palace
Coach Oliver Glasner faces his first test on Saturday in England: with his new club Crystal Palace he meets the penultimate Burnley. Glasner wants to get his team on track in the relegation battle with attacking football.
A day earlier, Glasner led his first training session at his new club in pouring rain. The main thing was to get to know the team better and prepare for their first game together. The Londoners are currently 15th, just five points ahead of the Premier League relegation places. The Austrian was only presented this week as the successor to Hodgson, who had to vacate his chair at the “Eagles” earlier than planned due to health problems.
The former Frankfurt and Wolfsburg coach watched the team from the stands during the 1-1 draw at Everton on Monday evening. “It’s the first time in my career that I’m taking over as coach in the middle of the season. It’s a different situation, but that’s just how it is and for me the most important thing is to get the best out of it,” Glasner said in an interview previously published on PalaceTV. The 49-year-old revealed that there had already been discussions with the club management in the autumn. “The plan was actually to start in the summer. It’s coming quicker than we thought, but it doesn’t change much.”
Offensive cohesion
In his first engagement in England, Glasner wants to score points primarily with an offensive orientation. “My philosophy is simple: it’s about scoring goals. Because that’s why we all started playing football, as I often explain to the players. Nobody goes on the pitch as a child to defend,” said Glasner. You also owe it to the spectators to pull towards the goal: “That’s what the fans want to see: that we fight together and that we aim to score a lot of goals together.”
It is also absolutely necessary to know the individual players well, says Glasner. “I know the qualities of the players, but not their personalities,” said the Upper Austrian, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to victory in the Europa League. It is also important to him to convey his values to the players so that everyone can pull together. “Honesty, passion for football and a good team spirit” are the crucial points: “It should be a good environment for all of us.”
IMAGO/PPAUK/Micah Crook Together with CEO Stephen Parish (l.), Glasner recently looked at the legs of his new club
The prerequisites are met in terms of the squad at the club, which is named after the Crystal Palace built as part of the 1851 World Exhibition. “I saw a team with great character. I saw the basics on which we can build our philosophy.” Currently, due to the lack of success, there is a lack of confidence in one’s own strengths. “But I am convinced that we will achieve our goal,” said Glasner, who is accompanied by Michael Angerschmid, Ronald Brunmayr and Emanuel Pogatetz as assistants. Michael Berktold acts as a fitness coach.
Premier League challenge
Glasner had mentioned a commitment to the Premier League as his desired goal in the past. “That’s the challenge we’re all looking for and the challenge I’m looking for: to improve and develop.”
The Upper Austrian didn’t want to be tied down to goals in the team’s home channel. “I’m not going to announce that we’ll be eleventh or twelfth, what’s important to me now is that we create a certain work ethic, a way in which we play and treat each other. Then we will get the best out of every player,” said the second Austrian coach in the Premier League after Ralph Hasenhüttl, “of course we want to get as many points as possible. What’s important to me is that we play with the same commitment at home and away and that we always believe in ourselves.”
English Premier League, 26th round
Wednesday 21st February: Liverpool Luton 4-1 Saturday 24th February: Aston Villa Nottingham 4pm Brighton & Hove Everton 4pm Crystal Palace Burnley 4pm Manchester United Fulham 4pm Bournemouth Manchester City 6.30pm Arsenal Newcastle 9pm Sunday 25th February: Wolverhampton Sheffield United 2.30pm Monday 26 February: West Ham Brentford 9pm Postponed: Chelsea Tottenham
