THE SECRET REASON BEHIND OLIVER GLASNER’S DECISION TO LEAVE CRYSTAL PALACE THIS SUMMER
Oliver Glasner will remain Crystal Palace manager until the summer. Discover why he feels abandoned after Guehi’s move to Man City.
Crystal Palace have made up their minds about Oliver Glasner—he’ll stay in charge until his contract runs out this summer, despite all the talk about a possible sacking. Glasner himself has already said he’ll walk away once his deal’s up. You can tell he feels let down, especially after seeing Captain Marc Guehi sold off to Manchester City and constant rumours swirling around Jean-Philippe Mateta. “Abandoned” – that’s the word he used.
But here’s the thing: Glasner actually brought Palace their first-ever major trophy in the 2024-25 season. They won the FA Cup—a huge deal for the club—and then beat Liverpool in the Community Shield. That run even got them into the Conference League in Europe. Not bad, right?
Still, the club hasn’t exactly backed him. They sold Eberechi Eze to Arsenal in the summer of 2025. Then Guehi left too, heading to the Etihad since he was out of contract at the end of the season. Now Mateta, who just made the French national team in a World Cup year, is drawing interest from Juventus. Glasner can’t help but feel like he’s fighting an uphill battle with hardly any support from the top.
He vented before a trip to Sunderland, saying, “Your heart gets torn out twice in a season, one day before a game. It’s tough to survive. That’s how it feels right now. We feel that we’re being abandoned. There’s no support. Everybody’s disappointed. We’ve been playing with 12 to 13 players for weeks now. On the bench, I had just kids.” You could tell the whole situation was wearing him down.
That outburst didn’t sit well with chairman Steve Parish, who was already weighing up a change in the dugout. After a 2-1 loss to Sunderland, Parish met with Glasner but decided to let him finish the season. The club’s in a rough patch—no wins in 10 games—, but they just brought in Brennan Johnson from Spurs for a club-record fee. They still expect Glasner to pull things together before he leaves.
After that Sunderland defeat, Glasner sounded fed up. “I don’t need any support. Crystal Palace needs it. Crystal Palace are fine to end the season like this – with Oliver Glasner, with another manager, I don’t know, I don’t care. They are fine with this,” he said. He seemed resigned, just waiting for the season to end. “It will be OK, 42 points at the end, it’s all good, it’s fine. It doesn’t matter how we are acting. It’s just my feeling.”
Palace, for their part, think they did the right thing selling Guehi instead of letting him walk for nothing. They’ll get about £20 million, which softens the blow a bit. Glasner won’t be sticking around for the rebuild—that’ll be someone else’s problem this summer. Funny enough, he might end up facing Palace next season. Manchester United are looking for a new manager, and Glasner’s name is on their shortlist after Ruben Amorim got the boot. So, who knows? Maybe this isn’t the last we’ve seen of him in English football.
HOW DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN RECLAIMED HIS ENGLAND SPOT AFTER ELLAND ROAD SUCCESS
Dominic Calvert-Lewin earns his first England call-up since Euro 2020 after scoring 10 goals for Leeds United in 2026.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad feels like a well-earned milestone after his breakthrough season at Elland Road. Scoring 10 goals in 28 Premier League matches this term, he’s become the first Leeds player called up since Kalvin Phillips.
When asked about the national team news in an exclusive chat, Calvert-Lewin’s smile said it all. He admitted he’s still processing the reality of joining the squad again after a long journey to get recognition. “It’s hard to put into words,” he said. “I’m probably not really taking it in yet.”
Tuchel’s 35-player roster marks Calvert-Lewin’s first England call-up since the Euro 2020 squad, where England finished runners-up after that heartbreaking penalty shootout with Italy. The forward shared how Tuchel broke the news during a brief video call the night before the announcement, explaining the plans for the upcoming week and the chance to impress. For Calvert-Lewin, it’s an opportunity he’s eager to seize.
Since moving to Leeds from Everton on a free transfer, he has made an immediate impact. Daniel Farke’s eighth summer signing has already netted 10 goals in 28 appearances for the Whites. December saw him honoured as Premier League Player of the Month after scoring six goals in five games.
Off the pitch, Calvert-Lewin has felt a special kind of support at Elland Road from teammates, staff, and fans. “I can’t say I’ve ever felt love like this,” he said, reflecting on his time in West Yorkshire. The genuine happiness from everyone around him has made a big difference. Still, he remains focused on the club’s goals and is proud that his form has earned a return to the England setup, but he is waiting to see how it feels if he gets to wear the shirt again.
Family plays a crucial role in his story, too. As a father, Calvert-Lewin acknowledges the support from his wife and daughter as key factors in getting back to his best. “I was a million miles away from where I am now not so long ago,” he admitted. “I wouldn’t be in this position without them.”
Looking ahead, Dominic is set to add to his 11 England caps. England’s upcoming fixtures see them face Uruguay on Friday night, followed by a match against Japan on Tuesday, where they might cross paths with Leeds teammate Ao Tanaka. It’s shaping up to be a significant period for him both personally and professionally.
HOW NECO WILLIAMS NAVIGATED FOUR FOREST MANAGERS TO FIND ELITE FORM
Neco Williams reflects on Nottingham Forest’s chaotic season and Europa League success ahead of a Wales World Cup play-off.
Neco Williams didn’t sugarcoat it; Nottingham Forest’s season has been anything but smooth. Beating Tottenham last Sunday gave them a much-needed lift, pushing them up to 16th in the table, three points clear of the drop zone with seven matches left. That win came right after they booked a spot in the Europa League quarter-finals by knocking out FC Midtjylland. Next up, after the international break, they head to Porto for the first leg of their last-eight tie on April 9.
It’s been nonstop for Vitor Pereira’s squad, juggling league matches and European nights. And it hasn’t helped that Pereira is the fourth head coach they’ve hired this season. The players have barely had time to adjust before the next new face arrives with new ideas and strategies.
Williams spoke to the BBC about the constant upheaval. “Every manager has his own way,” he said. “You just have to be ready for the next one and really take on board whatever they bring. Four managers, four styles – you can’t dwell on it. You have to go with it, get used to it, and move forward.”
Looking at the bigger picture, Williams admitted, “We’re not where we want to be. After last season, nobody expected us to end up here.” They’re trying to handle Premier League games, Europa League fixtures, and all those cup ties earlier this year. It’s a lot, but honestly, it’s the price they pay for last season’s success. Still, he wishes they were further up the table.
He pointed out how much their schedule has changed, too. Last season, they’d play a once-a-week game, recovery, training, build-up, then another game. Now? It’s Wednesday, Saturday, Thursday, and Sunday. No real time to recover, no time to dig into tactics or study opponents. Just play, recover, play again – no let-up at all.
Now, with the international break, Williams shifts focus to the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. Wales play Bosnia and Herzegovina in a playoff semi-final on Thursday, and if they win, they’ll meet Italy or Northern Ireland for a spot in the finals.
Williams heads into those matches in strong form. He’s been one of Forest’s most consistent players this season. “Honestly, it’s probably one of my best seasons ever,” he said. “I only missed one Premier League game, and that was because I got sent off against Crystal Palace.”
Getting consistent performances hasn’t been easy for him in the past, but he feels he’s finally figured it out. “Especially this season and last, I’ve found that rhythm. I’m not having a great game one week and a bad one the next anymore. It’s steady, and that’s what you need in the Premier League.”
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