Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has expressed his disappointment with the club's hierarchy, stating that he feels as though his squad "are being abandoned completely". The 51-year-old Austrian confirmed on Friday that he will be leaving the Eagles when his contract expires at the end of this season.
Despite news breaking on the same day about captain Marc Guehi's impending move to Manchester City, Glasner insisted that his decision to leave had nothing to do with Palace's transfer dealings. However, following Saturday's 2-1 loss at Sunderland, he criticised the decision to let Guehi go and voiced frustration over what he perceives as a lack of support in replacing departing players.
Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, said:
"I feel we are being abandoned completely. I can't blame any player. They did everything they could and this has been going on for weeks and months now. We have 12, 13 players from the squad available and we feel no support.
"The worst thing is selling our captain one day before playing a Premier League game. We are preparing, it's the first [full] week we are training since September, and then we are selling our captain one day before a game. So I have no understanding of this.
"I have always kept my mouth [shut], but I can't because I have to defend these players, because it was the 35th game today. Yes we get under pressure here and we are unlucky. But again, you can't react, we can't help them, it makes it really tough."
Glasner led Crystal Palace to their first major trophy last May when they triumphed over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. This victory also secured them a place in this season’s Conference League. However, despite these achievements, there have been significant challenges.
Key player departures impact performance
The summer saw talisman Eberechi Eze sold off to Arsenal which was a significant blow for the team. Despite starting off strong by going unbeaten in their first 11 games across all competitions, recent performances have seen a downturn. The Eagles are currently winless in their past ten fixtures.
With Glasner set to depart at season’s end and key players already gone or set for departure like Guehi, it seems uncertain times lie ahead for Crystal Palace. The lack of backing from club hierarchy is clearly causing frustration among management and could potentially impact future performances if not addressed promptly.
While Oliver Glasner’s tenure brought some notable highs including an FA Cup victory and securing a place in the Conference League, his impending departure and the loss of key players signal challenging times ahead for Crystal Palace. The club's hierarchy will need to take decisive action to ensure stability and continued success in future seasons.
