Pierre Sage Takes Over at Crystal Palace From Oliver Glasner
Pierre Sage is Crystal Palace's manager, replacing Oliver Glasner, who led the club to an FA Cup, a European trophy and the Community Shield in two years at Selhurst Park. The Community Shield is the season-opening trophy between the previous season's FA Cup winners and Premier League champions.
Sage is 47 and four months into a three-year contract. He has managed in France for most of his career, and he is best known for his work at Lens. He led them to second place in Ligue 1, the top division in France, and to victory in the French Cup. That form earned him the Ligue 1 manager of the year award. His first senior job was at Chambery in 2013, and he later worked as assistant manager at Lyon-La Duchere, a club outside the top flight.
The new man has inherited a team in trouble. Palace have lost five of their eight Premier League games, which leaves them in the bottom four of the table. The most recent defeat was a 2-0 loss at home to Newcastle, and some of the home supporters booed at the final whistle. The week before, Palace lost 5-0 at Brighton. Sage later said he felt "shame" at that performance.
The problem is mainly at the back. Palace have conceded 19 goals in eight league games, the worst record in the Premier League, according to the BBC. Their season has also included a 2-2 draw at Besiktas in Istanbul and a defeat away to Lyon in the Europa League, a second-tier European competition.
Earlier results were mixed. Palace lost their first two league matches, to Everton and Manchester City. They then won at Fulham, lost at home to Ipswich Town, drew 0-0 at Leeds United and beat Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park on 11 October.
Pressure on the manager was building before the change. Reports from 19 October said Sage faced a fight to keep his job, although he was expected to get more time. The Guardian named Kieran McKenna and Thomas Frank as possible replacements at the time.
Sage has brought in three coaches to his backroom staff: Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard. He also held his first press conference as Palace boss ahead of a Saturday fixture in August.
The next tests are fixtures at home to Liverpool on 8 November and away to Coventry City on 21 November. Those games will show quickly whether a new coach can steady a side that has been leaking goals.
