The football's modern era will have to dedicate a special chapter to the exploits of Crystal Palace led by Jean-Philippe Mateta, Chris Richards, Ismaïla Sarr, Cheick Doucoure, Daniel Munoz and Yeremy Pino. That is why the departure of Austrian manager Oliver Glasner is so difficult to understand — even for him.

THE MASTER MIND

The Austrian tactician was the genius who took a mid-table Premier League side and elevated it to football’s elite, to the point of unsettling more than one European powerhouse.

Founded in 1861, Crystal Palace won the first major trophy in its history on May 17, 2025, after stunning Pep Guardiola’s mighty Manchester City at the legendary Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final — the oldest football competition in the world — a title that had slipped away from them in both 1990 and 2016.

Glasner’s experience in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, where he lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy in 2022, proved crucial when he took charge of a club that had long relied on familiar names circulating around English football like Roy Hodgson y Sam Allardyce and inexperienced managers like Patrick Vieira y Frank de Boer whose only objective was survival.

SERIOUSNESS AND SILVERWARE ARRIVE

The Eagles’ ownership group, including Woody Johnson, owner of the NFL’s New York Jets, backed an ambitious project under Glasner with nearly $270 million invested in signings while also trusting the club’s academy system.

Unfortunately for Palace, they were dealt the devastating news that they would not participate in the UEFA Europa League — the reward for winning the FA Cup — because Olympique Lyonnais of France’s Ligue 1 had also qualified, creating a multi-club ownership conflict, as both teams belong to the same ownership group.

That setback did not stop them from adding another trophy. On August 10, once again at Wembley, Palace captured the Community Shield against Liverpool, who were the reigning Premier League champions at the time.

Although criticism and doubts quickly surfaced because of the club’s inconsistent Premier League campaign, Glasner delivered on the European stage with Crystal Palace’s remarkable UEFA Conference League run. Despite missing out on the Europa League, Palace conquered Europe in Leipzig, Germany, defeating clubs such as AZ Alkmaar from the Netherlands, Italy’s Fiorentina, Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk, and finally Spain’s Rayo Vallecano in the final.

THE IMMINENT GOODBYE

Three trophies that even the Premier League’s Big Six struggle to win cemented Glasner’s legacy as the manager who brought Crystal Palace glory for the very first time.

However, his time with the Eagles has come to an end due to disagreements with the ownership group, who perhaps demanded more from him in domestic competition. Glasner had already hinted at his departure back in January, and after his contract expired without a renewal option, he now says goodbye to the club that was his home for more than two years.

“Right now, I still can’t believe this was the last match. I made this decision and it is a chapter — a very good chapter — in Crystal Palace’s history book. More chapters will follow.”

“Today I told the players that the fans were thanking us for giving them the best day of their lives. I thanked the players because, for me, it’s exactly the same.

“These have been incredible days in my life. They trusted me and believed in me. They worked extremely hard; I can be very demanding and everyone knows that. Huge thanks to the players and coaching staff who supported me. Our supporters were unbelievable again tonight.

“I see myself as part of this group. As a manager, you cannot achieve anything alone — you need a great staff, great footballers and great people.”

Those were Glasner’s words after conquering the Conference League title.

And so, an era comes to an end — perhaps the greatest in Crystal Palace history. Now, the Eagles must reinvent themselves without Glasner on the touchline.

What comes next for both sides?

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