Oliver Glasner Has Found Success At Palace. But Will He Fall Into The Thomas Frank Trap?

When Oliver Glasner took complete from Roy Hodgson astatine Crystal Palace successful February 2024, nan nine was successful a hopeless situation. The deficiency of an personality and coherent strategy astatine each levels soured Hodgson’s tenure. Transfers that hadn’t worked out, injuries, and lackluster strategies meant they were only a fewer points supra nan relegation zone.

Glasner helped spark a revival. Not only did he preside complete a return to mid-table stability, he besides helped present memories done cup occurrence that will unrecorded connected pinch Palace fans for years. His achievements astatine Selhurst Park make him 1 of nan astir intriguing managerial free agents erstwhile he leaves his station astatine nan extremity of nan season, though he is not without his faults.

Perhaps nan simplest statement successful favour of Glasner is that astatine each extremity he’s had tangible success. He led Wolfsburg to Europa League qualification successful 2020, past went a measurement further successful 2021 securing a spot successful nan Champions League aft nan nine vanished 4th successful nan Bundesliga. Glasner’s first play astatine Eintracht Frankfurt successful 2021-22 saw them decorativeness an underwhelming 11th successful nan Bundesliga, but that was offset by nan nine winning nan Europa League. In his 2nd play they improved to seventh successful nan convention and made it to nan information of 16 successful nan Champions League.

The affirmative inclination continued pinch Palace. It would require a freakish bid of results this play for nan nine to beryllium relegated, and they person vanished mid-table successful nan different 2 campaigns Glasner has been astatine nan club. More holistic attempts astatine quantifying squad strength, specified arsenic Scout Lab’s Pi Rating, person them supra mean complete a almanac year. That is nary mini feat fixed their wage bill was 16th-highest arsenic precocious arsenic 2023-24, via Swiss Ramble. He besides delivered a memorable triumph past play erstwhile Palace lifted nan FA Cup, the first awesome trophy successful nan club’s history. This play could present different trophy pinch Palace successful nan semi-finals of nan Uefa Conference League. It makes for a coagulated resume.

It’s not conscionable what Glasner has won that makes him an charismatic campaigner though. He has a clear crippled model, which prioritizes attacking pinch speed. When Palace were astatine their champion earlier successful nan season, they were capable to settee successful a mid-block pinch a constrictive front-three to dissuade cardinal progression, and utilize situational jumps from nan midfield and backline to create turnovers. Metrics which look astatine style of play, specified arsenic nonstop velocity and series clip from Opta Analyst, person them arsenic 1 of nan astir nonstop sides successful nan Premier League.

There are caveats though. When Glasner was pinch Wolfsburg, he clashed pinch nan club’s managing director, Jörg Schmadtke, complete transportation policy, an statement which spilled into public. The aforesaid issues cropped up erstwhile he was astatine Frankfurt, wherever he made repeated outbursts during property conferences. That volatility was 1 of nan reasons his clip successful nan Bundesliga was limited.

Similar issues person surfaced during his clip successful English football. This is not a astonishment fixed really nan nine went astir their summertime business, fundamentally replacing Eberechi Eze pinch Yéremy Pino, and signing Jaydee Canvot arsenic an eventual replacement for Marc Guéhi. Earlier successful nan season, Glasner was vocal astir nan demands of playing successful aggregate competitions and really Palace’s squad wasn’t heavy capable to compensate. Their minutes distribution shows really overmuch he’s chosen to trust connected a group halfway of players. An statement tin beryllium made that he was successful nan correct successful this lawsuit fixed really bully Palace person been because of his coaching. Either way, willing clubs will beryllium astatine slightest a spot wary of really often Glasner has gotten into nationalist spats astir recruitment.

Perhaps nan astir important interest for bigger clubs is really scalable his crippled exemplary is astatine higher levels. His Crystal Palace sides are a good illustration of really smaller Premier League clubs person go braver retired of possession. At their best, their mid-block and onslaught astatine gait strategy has been an evolved type of nan low-block and antagonistic sides we became accustomed to successful erstwhile eras.

However, location are questions complete really Glasner would fare astatine a bigger nine who are expected to return nan inaugural much often. Palace were classed 17th past play successful possession share, and 14th this season. Their caller tie against West Ham showed really reliable it tin beryllium for them to create chances erstwhile they’re being asked to return nan initiative.

Glasner should beryllium alert of worrying examples of different managers who person made nan leap to bigger clubs. Thomas Frank had consistently helped Brentford punch supra their weight since nan club’s promotion to nan Premier League successful 2021, an accomplishment that sewage him nan Tottenham occupation past summer. Frank’s tenure ended up being a disappointment, and he was fired successful February.

Perhaps Glasner will person a amended clip than Frank if he is fixed a akin opportunity. His teams successful Germany and England person won high-leverage matches, albeit it usually progressive them not having to beryllium nan proactive broadside successful possession. How would he fare astatine a nine – he has been linked pinch Newcastle and Chelsea among others – wherever nan onus is connected his squad to return nan initiative? And would clashes pinch nine executives go moreover much apt amid nan unit of coaching a bigger team? Those are questions which will dictate this summer’s coaching carousel.