Intense and honest: Who is new Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner?

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Intense and honest: Who is new Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner?
Oliver Glasner was appointed as the new Crystal Palace manager on Monday
Oliver Glasner was appointed as the new Crystal Palace manager on MondayAFP
Crystal Palace appointed former Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner (49) on Monday in a bid to move away from the Premier League's relegation zone.

Glasner was recruited just hours after the departure of Roy Hodgson, who stepped down from his role before the Eagles' 1-1 draw against Everton.

The result has left the club toiling down in 15th and sporting a recent record of just two wins in 14 games.

And as Palace seek a new direction under Glasner, who is the Austrian and what will he bring to Selhurst Park?

Rising stocks

As a player, Glasner spent his playing career in his native Austria between 1992 and 2011 making 571 appearances for Ried and having a loan spell with LASK.

He was forced to retire due to a brain haemorrhage following a clash of heads during a game and after recovering from surgery, his coaching journey began in 2012.

Glasner's first step saw him become an assistant at RB Salzburg under then-manager Roger Schmidt, who is currently the boss of Benfica.

Glasner returned to former side Ried in 2014, becoming the club's manager for one season before joining LASK, taking the club up from the second tier and participating in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League and Europa League.

His four successful years captured the attention of those in Germany and was appointed Wolfsburg boss in 2019, where he secured Champions League football in his second campaign.

Despite qualifying for Europe's top competition, Glasner would leave Lower Saxony for Frankfurt.

His start at the club was uneasy with his team anchored in the bottom half of the Bundesliga at the halfway mark, although the opposite can be said of their Europa League endeavours.

Oliver Glasner celebrates with the Europa League trophy
Oliver Glasner celebrates with the Europa League trophyProfimedia

Glasner led Frankfurt to their first European trophy in 42 years, defeating the likes of Barcelona and West Ham before downing Rangers on penalties in the final.

It was a major feat and something they would struggle to replicate, getting knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16, losing the German Cup final and finishing the next league campaign seventh.

Glasner left Frankfurt at the end of the 2022/23 season with one year remaining on his contract with the club citing "sporting development and overall performance" as part of the decision.

Intensity and honesty

One thing that Glasner will bring to Palace is a pressing style with the aim of forcing errors and winning the ball high up the pitch.

He has a tendency to favour a 3-4-2-1 formation with a heavy focus setting the tone from the front and the wing-backs having a big say on the action. 

That will be a major change for the Palace players, who have often been a little passive when out of possession and have tended to sit back behind the ball under Hodgson.

With that aggressive approach favoured, Glasner puts a lot of trust in his players and is often open to letting people know if something isn't quite right.

Basically, he's not afraid to let his feelings be known.

New Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner (C) speaks with chairman Steve Parish
New Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner (C) speaks with chairman Steve ParishAFP

And while that honesty can be deemed as refreshing, it was part of his departures from Wolfsburg and Frankfurt, with his relationships at both clubs reportedly becoming strained over signings.

Still, while Glasner's style may be tricky to implement properly in the short term, his tactics could bring some freshness in terms of aesthetics to see out the rest of term.

Which players could benefit?

Instantly, you would be drawn towards Palace's stars Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, who could both excel even further with a bit more attacking freedom.

Although both are currently out injured, looking towards Glasner's dynamic use of Daichi Kamada and Jesper Lindstrom while at Frankfurt could be a good blueprint for the pair.

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze
Crystal Palace's Michael Olise and Eberechi EzeProfimedia

Some of Palace's full-backs could stand to benefit from Glasner's arrival, despite not really being tasked with roles of playing further up the flanks too frequently.

Tyrick Mitchell looks to be their best bet on the left, but January arrival Daniel Munoz could be the more intriguing asset on the opposite side.

Before joining Palace, the Colombian scored seven goals in 29 appearances for Genk this season and had a productive last campaign, recording eight goals and seven assists.

His methods won't necessarily bring a quick fix to Palace's problems - it's a structure that requires rigidity and every player being on the same page.

But the right backing to mould his squad over the summer could bring about a different direction and a more positive outlook for the club.

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