Time to stop messing around. The Manager’s contract expires at the end of next season.
Barring injuries and with suitable encouragement from the boardroom, Glasner is a winning manager. When did Palace last have one of those?
But don’t look back, look forwards! In the foreseeable, let’s face it. Glasner is the closest thing to Guardiola that Palace can realistically expect as Manager.
So Parish should put in Glasner’s hand a lengthy contract extension. Right now. Here’s 8 reasons why.
Because Glasner is getting results, despite everything.
Everything? Although Palace only just discovered how to win again, it’s must be said a third of the squad are currently unavailable, the bench at Wolves contained 4 teens and 2 keepers, and the fixture list to January looks daunting.
Because Glasner will respect Crystal Palace all the more for showing faith when it’s not the best.
It’s easy to reward employees when things are going great. Not so much when you’re in the relegation zone. When the job’s not going well, there is absolutely nothing like a vote of confidence you can take to the bank.
Because the fans need it.
Grabbing goals, tackling hard, giving all – there’s no feeling like watching the red n blue shirts play well and win. Glasner knows how to do this. Given board support, a clearing injury room and a little luck, Glasner can deliver the Palace we love. But he needs more than two seasons, especially given the disastrous way his first full season has started.
Because we’ve seen it with our own eyes.
When the team plays Glasnerball properly, Palace can beat anybody. I know neither Spurs nor Villa were at the top of their game, but that’s the point. OG strategy works best when it limits opponents effectively. Postecoglou never dreamed he’d lose to Palace last week. And Emery must be sick of the sight of Glasner teams.
Because Palace wants to be a destination, not a stepping stone.
A few months ago, Palace were blocking approaches from big clubs who wanted our Manager. With our current playing record, you can bet that calls to Ollie’s agent from the Bayern Munich’s of this world are drying up. Right now, our chances of Glasner extending with Palace are very good.
Because there’s lots of money kicking around.
Assuming Textor’s stake is sold, his profit looks like 50m in just over three years, not a bad return on about 100m he invested. In fairness, though, his investment was well used. The quality of the Palace playing staff is much higher in 2024 than it was in 2020 before Textor bought shares.
Anyway, it seems we now have a list of wannabe buyers and the club is currently worth at least 500m, which is 60% more than the Saudis paid to own our Geordie friends. Rich times, Steve. Time to place in the Manager’s hand the kind of contract extension that will make him love keeping his job. And, if he wants, maybe Ollie can commit to moving his family here. A happy home life will help him at work.
Because we’re at a crossroads.
If OG leaves at the end of next season, we’ll be back to square one. Headhunting. And then the new man will change the way we play. That’s the kind of transition that takes months. Glasnerball and Royball are poles apart, and eight months in, we’re still living through that transition.
Even in the first eleven, stringing together two halves of Glasnerball has proved elusive this season. And new styles of play take time to find their way through into all the club’s teams. We need continuity at the top so that winning ways enter the bloodstream of our club.
Because we love Ollie. Don’t we?
A year ago, most Palace fans couldn’t pick Glasner out in an ID parade, but now it takes a hard heart to watch the passionate Mr Intensity living 700 miles from home, isolated and far away from his wife and children.
What are our owners thinking? They’re not short of a tenner or two. The man gives it all for Palace, 24/7. Plus the board knows him much better than we do. They see OG behind the scenes. We only see him at match days and press conferences. But that’s not just an act for the cameras. By the dugout, Glasner is a boiling pot of intensity. Right now, Glasner loves Crystal Palace. Let’s keep it that way a little longer. Eh, Steve?
