MusaCrystal Palace are discovering that even the best runs eventually hit the skids.
Whether Oliver Glasner’s reign ends this summer when his contract expires, or if the plug is pulled mid-way through the 2025/26 season, is still up in the air.
What’s crystal clear, however, is that the team’s form has fallen off a cliff. Glasner appears to have lost the dressing room, and he’s definitely lost the support of the fans, who’ve been vocal in their frustration after poor results and the Austrian’s own puzzling comments.
If the club decides to part ways with the FA Cup and Community Shield-winning manager, chairman Steve Parish will need to get his next appointment spot on.
Who’s on Crystal Palace’s radar?
With the managerial carousel about to spin into high gear, Parish is keeping his cards close to his chest, even as fans prepare to thank Glasner for his efforts and show him the door. Word is the manager isn’t going anywhere—at least not yet.
A few names are already on the shortlist. If Parish is planning to make a decisive move in the summer, recent whispers suggest Sir Gareth Southgate could be tempted by a return to Selhurst Park on an interim basis.
But for now, Glasner remains at the helm.
That said, Football Insider reports that both Sean Dyche and Thomas Frank are in the frame following their recent departures—and it’s Frank who could turn out to be the ideal fit.
At 52, the Dane is reportedly leading the early race. With extensive Premier League know-how, he’s bound to attract plenty of interest as the year goes on. If Palace genuinely see him as the top candidate, they’ll want to act fast.
Why Thomas Frank might be just what Palace need
Let’s get the awkward bit out of the way: Frank’s recent spell at Tottenham was brief and underwhelming.
Southgate brings emotional appeal and a reputation as a culture-builder. Still, the former England boss hasn’t managed a Premier League side since 2009—a stint that ended in relegation to the Championship.
And while Frank left Tottenham under a cloud, that club’s struggles go way deeper than the man in the dugout.
At Brentford, Frank built something special—hailed for his “incredible moments” by The Athletic’s Jay Harris. He turned a string of forwards into stars, and he could do the same in south London with someone like Ismaila Sarr.
Thomas Frank’s all-time top scorers
Player Apps Goals
Ivan Toney 141 72
Bryan Mbeumo 242 70
Yoane Wissa 149 49
Ollie Watkins 83 34
Said Benrahma 80 29
Sarr has shown he can deliver in clutch moments. He’s a dangerous forward, though consistency remains an issue—especially in the underlying numbers.
Playing off the right flank this season, the 27-year-old has bagged five goals and one assist in 17 Premier League outings. But he averages a completed dribble only once every two games, and his 38% success rate in take-ons points to room for improvement.
A powerful, quick-footed winger, Sarr was once affectionately dubbed a “freak” athlete by former Watford teammate Ben Foster.
His style echoes that of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo—another wide man who’s learned to thrive in the Premier League. With Frank in charge, reworking Sarr’s role to maximise his finishing ability could unlock the kind of talismanic form Palace have lacked since losing Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze.
This season, Sarr has often been used in a central attacking role. Maybe that’s holding him back—limiting the kind of wide play that lets him cut inside and shoot with freedom.
Frank would likely change that, installing a 4-2-3-1 system built to unleash Sarr’s goalscoring potential.
Musa
