Oliver Glasner decided in January to unilaterally announce his planned departure from Crystal Palace. It was unpopular, but perhaps he has given the club a single-minded focus over the closing weeks of the campaign.
In a commanding position in the Conference League, 2-0 up against Fiorentina after a first leg win at Selhurst Park, and Sunday's dramatic win over Newcastle United has allowed the Eagles to maintain their outside bid to qualify for Europe through the Premier League.
oliver-glasner-crystal-palace
This is stacked up to be a thrilling end to the Glasner era, with FA Cup and Community Shield trophies won during the 2024/25 season. The onus for chairman Steve Parish is to maintain their newfound presence out on the continent, and they have identified the perfect manager to replace the title-winning Austrian.
Premier League manager now interested in Crystal Palace job
There have been a number of names mentioned as Crystal Palace prepare for Glasner's departure, and the likes of Thomas Frank or Sean Dyche would attainable but uninspiring picks.
Parish must make the right choice here, and he needs to land a coach with a forward-thinking style and a focus on motivating players with a colourful personality.
It's not going to be easy, but talks are already taking place, with a current Premier League manager in the outfit's sights.
According to reporter Alan Nixon, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is stalling on a new contract at the Vitality Stadium as he considers interest from elsewhere. Palace have been joined by the likes of Athletic Bilbao in their intrigue and the Eagles are due to hold talks with the Spaniard in the coming months.
andoni-iraola-bournemouth
Earlier reports have corroborated Nixon's claim, with The Athletic even chipping in to confirm that the Spanish coach is right at the top of the Eagles' shortlist.
Andoni Iraola could be Crystal Palace's own Mauricio Pochettino
Iraola's easygoing attitude and personable front is underlaid by a deep, intelligent tactical knowledge and a demand for intensity and attractive football.
He has his players' respect, and Bournemouth are expertly implementing his high-octane tactics. The Iberian manager has even been hailed as a 'Pochettino clone' by Tottenham correspondent Alasdair Gold.
Pochettino is fondly remembered for his time at Tottenham, and indeed, the north Londoners were interested in bringing him back to the club before instead pushing to appoint Roberto De Zerbi.
Pochettino's record at Spurs (timeless)
He would be an excellent coach for a progressive team like Palace, but Iraola is young and fresh with big ideas for the future, and he could perfectly align with an Eagles side who have shown themselves to be ambitious and efficient.
His 4-2-3-1 formation would be perfect for a group of south Londoners who have become accustomed to Glasner's three-man backline. That might seem contradictory, but it's a hard system to get right, so appointing Glasner 2.0 might have an ill effect on the squad and their fluency.
Iraola vs Pochettino - Premier League Record
Iraola
108
38
35
35
149
1.38
Pochettino has managed two top Premier League sides in Tottenham and Chelsea, but he began his English career with Southampton on the coast.
Iraola, 43, might not have the same kind of reputation in the data books, but there's no question that he's created something special at the Vitality, and the interest from Europe's finest suggests that he could even outstrip Glasner, sustaining Palace at the top of the table.
Undoubtedly, Iraola has a promising career ahead of him, and while some of Europe's biggest teams have been linked with him this season, Selhurst Park might be the perfect place for him to develop his skills and grow into one of the Premier League's finest, continuing Palace's emergence as title contenders both domestically and abroad.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner before the match Related
["Incredible" 4-2-3-1 manager set for talks about replacing Glasner at Crystal Palace](https://www.footballfancast.com/andoni-iraola-talks-oliver-glasner-manager-crystal-palace/ ""Incredible" 4-2-3-1 manager set for talks about replacing Glasner at Crystal Palace")
Oliver Glasner is set to leave in the summer.