Roy Hodgson does not want the Crystal Palace manager situation to conclude the way it has, even if it does. During our conversation earlier this week, I told Roy, “I don’t know where you get your energy from,” but it was obvious from his zeal and passion that he adores every aspect of managing football teams. Being a manager has never been more difficult, which is why he has such a strong passion for the work.
Even mediocre football players can be challenging to deal with because of the independence that comes with having money. With elite athletes, you seldom ever need to communicate, but with others, the expectations are different. Adding social media to the mix makes things extremely challenging. Everywhere there is a venue for dissenting views, opinions on how things should be run are offered by people who have no understanding.
In addition, owners and chairmen today are not the same as they were in the past. I wouldn’t put some of the greatest club operators in this nation in charge of a corner store!
However, Roy was still upbeat and confident about the battle ahead when we spoke.
Palace is having problems since it has turned into a publicity stunt for them. Oliver Glasner is undoubtedly their new manager, but given that Roy ended up in the hospital, they need to be very careful about how they announce this. Roy would have been aware that something was going on because the possibility of relegation has been discussed for a few weeks now. As a manager, you can sense when a shift in the relationships is about to occur. People in positions of authority don’t usually pick up the phone, and conversations are different.
In my opinion, Palace might have avoided this situation by adding a youthful coach to the team when Roy came back in 2018. After he stabilised the team and prevented them from being demoted, he was duly rewarded with a new contract. However, at seventy-six, it made sense to assign an understudy. That would have eliminated the situation’s traction. It’s on a wing and a prayer for Glasner to come in at this point. How much time will it take him to comprehend what the Premier League requires? With the losses of Wilfried Zaha, a tremendous influence, and injuries to important players like Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, Palace has suffered greatly. They are nervous about where they will get their next victory and lack confidence.
A new manager has a lot on their plate. He needs to figure out right away what he needs and doesn’t have in the locker room, and he needs someone by his side who knows the Premier League and the particular difficulties they’ll face each time they play. Whatever Glasner’s past experience with Wolfsburg or Frankfurt, the reality remains that the weekly intensity he will encounter will be unmatched by anything he has ever experienced.
