Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish believes the club’s Conference League success can help attract a high-calibre replacement for Oliver Glasner — and persuade key players to stay at Selhurst Park.
Departing manager Glasner ended his reign on a high as the Eagles beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 on Wednesday evening in Leipzig to lift their first European trophy.
The victory, which followed last year’s historic FA Cup triumph, also secured Palace a place in next season’s Europa League.
Oliver Glasner is waving goodbye to Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner is waving goodbye to Crystal Palace(Adam Davy/PA)
Parish is now preparing for a crucial summer as the south London club search for Glasner’s successor while attempting to retain first-team stars.
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According to bookmakers, Andoni Iraola, who is set to leave Bournemouth, former Tottenham manager Thomas Frank, and Coventry head coach Frank Lampard are among the favourites for the role.
Asked about the impact of Conference League glory, Parish told Sky Sports: “I think it makes our life easier in one way and more difficult in another.
“Easier in that I think the managers that we’re looking at probably are more encouraged by us playing in Europe. I think that would mean something to (them to) expose themselves in that competition.
“Obviously, it’s another 60 games, probably, and we need to be prepared, we know what’s involved now.
Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates after scoring Crystal Palace’s winner in Leipzig
Jean-Philippe Mateta celebrates after scoring Crystal Palace’s winner in Leipzig(Adam Davy/PA)
“We need to try and get ourselves in good shape with the right quality, the right amount of cover, the right manager, and go again and see if we can’t win that one.”
Jean-Philippe Mateta scored Palace’s 51st-minute winner at Red Bull Arena.
Austrian boss Glasner announced in January he would leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season.
Asked how much of a boost playing in the Europa League next term will be in terms of recruiting a manager and keeping hold of players, Parish said: “I think it is, I really do.
“I don’t think it’s everything. I think that there are other challenges, there are other clubs out there looking for managers and they’re probably in Europe as well, but it certainly helps.
🗣️ "Oliver has things that he wants to do."
Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish reflects on Oliver Glasner's time at the club. pic.twitter.com/VSxrnuxOAR
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 28, 2026
“I think we’re looking at this morning in a lot better state than we would have been had the alternative happened and we’d lost the game, and then maybe one or two players that might be thinking about staying maybe thought, ‘oh, no, I don’t want to do another year’, so obviously it helps in a lot of ways.”
While co-owner Parish admits Palace need to strengthen their squad, he does not want to see a major overhaul.
Paying tribute to Glasner, who replaced Roy Hodgson in February 2024, Parish said: “Oliver has things that he wants to do and we’re lucky that he came to our club for the time that he did.
“We’ve got to look forward and so has Oliver. He’ll always have a special place in the heart of all the Crystal Palace fans.
“I hope we remain friends. We get on really well. You can’t do these things unless everything functions together, and let’s hope we can put that around the new guy that comes in.”