Oliver Glasner departed Crystal Palace when his contract expired following two and a half seasons at the south London club. His time in charge produced remarkable success, delivering FA Cup glory, a Community Shield and ultimately the Conference League — as well as steering the club into European football for the first time in their history.
The Austrian was serenaded out of Selhurst Park on the final day of the Premier League season, with those three trophies standing as the lasting reminder of what he achieved. But the European journey was not without controversy. UEFA ruled that Palace had breached multi-club ownership rules, with then co-owner John Textor holding stakes in both the Eagles and French club Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League. Despite an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Textor selling his stake to Woody Johnson, Palace were officially dropped to the Conference League, with Nottingham Forest taking their place in the Europa League. Chairman Steve Parish described the decision as “probably one of the greatest injustices that has ever happened in European football.”
The relationship between Glasner and the club was not always straightforward. The manager, known for speaking his mind, grew frustrated during the summer as Palace appeared willing to sanction departures rather than strengthen a squad preparing for a European campaign that would include at least six additional games in the league phase. He reportedly threatened to quit if chairman Parish sanctioned the sale of captain Marc Guehi to the Anfield club, with Glasner ultimately intervening on deadline day to keep the defender.
Palace’s season hit a significant dip between December and January, with the Eagles enduring a 12-game winless run across all competitions that saw them slide from the Champions League places towards the relegation zone. They also failed to finish in the top eight of the Conference League table and were forced to qualify for the knockout stage through the play-offs.
Through the turbulence, Palace supporters made their feelings about UEFA, former owner Textor and Marinakis clear during European games with an unflattering song. Yet despite the difficulties, Glasner’s three trophies and the club’s first European campaign ensure his place in Crystal Palace’s history is secure.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
