“I have made the decision to step down so that the club can move forward with its plans to recruit a new manager, as planned for this summer,” Roy Hodgson said in a statement, published by the Crystal Palace club.
The South London team currently occupies 16th place in the English championship, five points from the red zone. However, Hodgson is “confident the season will end well”. He wishes his former team “much success in the weeks, months and seasons to come.”
A few days earlier, more precisely on Thursday February 15, Roy Hodgson was unable to hold the day’s press conference. He had fallen ill during the morning training session. A few hours later, his club announced on X that he was “undergoing tests at the hospital”, even though his health was “stable”.
The president of the club, Steve Parish, delivered a very touching message, which can also be read in this same press release. “Roy holds a special place in Crystal Palace history and that will never be forgotten. After four years during which he led the club to stay in the Premier League season after season, he joined us almost a year ago to turn things around, and he has done wonders. The fact that he then agreed to continue this summer speaks volumes about his commitment to our club. It is quite simply to Roy that we owe our stay in the Premier League. I would like to thank Roy for his service and wish him the best for the future; it’s fair to say that Roy has the keys to Selhurst Park and will always be welcome at Selhurst Park.”
Crystal Palace will not have lingered. Just a few minutes after the official announcement of Roy Hodgson’s ouster, the club announced the arrival of Austrian Oliver Glasner, who signed a contract until the end of the 2025-2026 season. This 49-year-old tactician made a name for himself by winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt during the 2021-2022 season. “I am very happy to join Crystal Palace F.C. as manager. I look forward to working with this talented team, meeting the club’s supporters and experiencing the atmosphere at Selhurst Park that I have heard so much about,” said the new Eagles manager in a second statement released by Crystal Palace. this Monday.
