Oliver Glasner has gone down in Crystal Palace folklore following his leadership of the team to glory at Wembley Stadium. Next week will mark a return to the ground for the Community Shield, and as the season draws near, he feels a "great spirit" from an "ambitious" group means more to come.
‘It’s just nice here’
Glasner decided to take his group to Austria for a preseason trip, and he feels at home in more ways than one. As a native of the country, he knew the environment would be right to perk up the players.
“I always enjoy coming back to Austria – especially now. The last two days the weather is fine, but on the other side, the weather is perfect for training: it was not too hot, but also it was not really raining heavily, so we’ve had very good conditions. This was one of the main reasons we picked Austria.”
He comes away from the last week of work with the belief that the boys are in a much better position.
“We know we have great conditions, it's a fantastic pitch next to the hotel, with great teams to play. This was the reason. We're enjoying the pre-season and looking forward to the start of the season.”
The announcement of a tour to Austria was also a welcome sight for members of the coaching staff.
*“All of my backroom staff played in the Bundesliga and for the Austrian national team, like Ronny Brunmayr and Emanuel Pogatetz. Many people are visiting us, watching the training sessions, of course, having a small chat, and it's always good to see former teammates. It’s just nice here.”*
The manager worked at **Wolfsburg**for two campaigns, guiding the Wolves into the top four in his second season, and then won the Europa League final with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. He knows the terrain of German football and felt the opposition from the **Bundesliga**tested his outfit well.
*“That's why we said ‘okay, let's stay somewhere in Europe’, where we can play against very strong teams. We could see Mainz, who qualified for the Conference League,, were a very good team and we're expecting the same from Augsburg, so we can have more or less everything on the same level, maybe on a better level with shorter [travelling] distances, and that's why we decided to go Austria.”*
‘We want to be better than last season’
The 50-year-old opened up about the experience of the last twelve months in the dugout with Palace.
He arrived in South London in February last year, and the Eagles had soared into the top half of the table by the end of May. But the summer saw exits for Michael Olise, Joachim Andersen, and Jordan Ayew. It took time for the team to adapt to losing three reliable figures within the squad.
“It was a tough start and it showed that when you stick together, when you stay together, when you support each other and you’re never losing your belief and never losing your work ethic, that you can achieve big goals even when you're struggling in parts of the season.”
From the start of December until the end of May, Palace picked up the seventh most points in the top tier. They finished comfortably in mid-table, but the icing on the cake was a first major honour in the history of the club: Eberechi Eze scored the only goal in the **FA Cup**final against Manchester City.
*“Of course it was a great ending, lifting the first trophy for Crystal Palace, playing two games at Wembley with almost 40,000 Palace fans there, and then even the end with the parade at Selhurst, and seeing all these happy faces, and everybody was enjoying this time, it was really a great season.”*
The challenge for this side is not to rest on their laurels and continue demanding more of each other.
“But it's always when you think things keep going on their own, you have to learn a hard lesson: it's always you have to prove yourself, you have to improve, you have to work hard to get to the same level, but we want to be better than last season, therefore we have to invest, we have to work hard.”
It is a task that the Austrian is convinced that his players are embracing ahead of the new season.
“But also credit to the lads: they're really doing well in training, very ambitious, great spirit again.”
‘I love my job’
Next Sunday sees Palace play **Liverpool**at **Wembley Stadium**for the right to be the winners of the Community Shield. The two teams paraded their trophies at **Anfield**in May in a 1-1 draw, but the feeling of this fixture will be very different. The manager is approaching this clash with fighting talk.
“When you have the chance to win silverware, then go for it – and we will go for it. We’re facing the champions and we’re facing a team really buying big players, high-quality players, but it's a great challenge and we're looking forward to the game, Wembley again.”
These occasions do not come often in the lives of those who follow the Eagles. Glasner was glad to gift supporters so many memories through the efforts of his players. Could lightning strike twice?
*“We have great memories of Wembley. We’re looking forward to it. We will be ready and it's the same with Liverpool. I don't expect they will be in the best possible shape but it’s the same with us, and we go for the next trophy. If you have the chance to win two trophies within three months, let's go for it!”*
Whatever happens next weekend, the 50-year-old feels very happy walking into work every day.
“I love my job. Being together with the players, with my staff, and working on the details, analysing the games with our analysts and what we can improve and creating the spirit again… it's not just on the pitch, it's also off the pitch, therefore a training camp is good with many hours being together.”
A little fun helps on the way, as the group have enjoyed some Austrian delicacies on their tour.
“We are really famous for desserts, and it’s part of enjoying: it's good food and you're in a good mood, and this is what we want to have. This is fundamental to performing at your best level, that you feel well in your environment. It’s what we try to create: an environment where everybody feels well.”