Crystal Palace have had a rough week and it just got worse following their defeat at Sunderland on Saturday, and then after Oliver Glasner’s post-match comments.
The Austrian coach revealed on Friday he is leaving as Palace boss when his contract runs out in the summer, but it seems like he may not last that long given his extraordinary comments against the decision makers at the club.
Speaking after Palace’s 2-1 defeat at Sunderland, as they’re now 10 games without a win in all competitions, Glasner didn’t hold back when asked about the loss.
“The players gave everything they could. You’ve seen we made no substitutions, look at the bench, just kids there in our attack. I said before that we feel like we are being abandoned completely,” Glasner said. “Selling our captain one day before a game, completely no understanding for this. We are preparing and yesterday at 10:30am I get told our captain will be sold. Why not next week? At least he can play this game and next week other players are coming back. That makes me really upset today.”
Asked if the defeat at Sunderland was the story of the season for him and Palace, just a few months after their incredible FA Cup success last season, Glasner said the following.
“If your heart gets torn out twice a year with Eze one day before a game in the summer and your captain one day before a game, I just don’t understand it. I’ve been in football for more than 30 years and I’ve never experienced once and now it happens twice with six or seven months,” Glasner explained. “I think that is where we are now. We are playing for weeks now with 12 and 13 players from our squad. Some players have played their 35th game now and I think we played 60 minutes well here then we were 15-20 minutes under pressure and we conceded a goal. The players tried everything but again couldn’t give them any support from the bench and that makes it so tough. Because the players are leaving their heart on the pitch. We are fighting and it’s not too easy to play here, and for all the circumstances I think the team has done exceptionally well, but again we don’t feel supported.”
On if there will be proper transfer activity in the window, Glasner didn’t sound hopeful.
“I don’t know. Again I heard yesterday at 10:30am for the first time we are selling Marc. The negotiations would have been a few days. Nobody would have called at 10am and at 10:30am everything was agreed. Then we have to deal with it. One day before a game coming here to Sunderland, we know we are not in the best run, we know the situation with no players available and we are selling our captain. Completely no understanding. No team would do this. I’ve seen other teams players play and the next day they are leaving. We are selling the day before.”
Glasner was then asked if things don’t change in the transfer window, if he would see out the season.
“I don’t know,” Glasner replied. “As I mentioned I have a huge appreciation for this group of players, completely trust them. Their character is exceptional. And so we will stick together and get this turned around. I will never step back because these players deserve to have Oliver Glasner as their manager and their leader. And this is what I will do. But again, sometimes it would help if we have a little bit of support.”
The frustration for Glasner is understandable, and we know the end is near for him at Palace, but it is tough to see him being in charge for much longer after an interview like this. This is not the beginning of the end for Glasner, it is very, very close to the end.
