Hodgson, 76, leaves Crystal Palace days after falling ill. Glasner hired as replacement
Roy Hodgson, the oldest ever manager in the English Premier League at age 76, left Crystal Palace on Monday just days after falling ill during a training session amid widespread reports he was about to be replaced.
The former England coach said he made the decision to step aside so Palace could bring forward its plans to appoint a new manager.
Hours later, the club hired Austrian coach Oliver Glasner as Hodgson's replacement on a deal until the end of the 2025-26 season. Glasner led Eintracht Frankfurt to the Europa League title in 2022 before leaving last year.
“I understand, given recent circumstances," Hodgson said, “it may be prudent at this time for the club to plan ahead.”
Palace said Hodgson has left the hospital following the training-ground incident on Friday and was “doing well.”
Two members of his coaching staff — Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington — were due to take charge of the team for its league match at Everton late Monday. Palace was five points clear of the relegation zone with 14 games remaining.
Hodgson was in his second spell in charge of Palace, having returned last March to comfortably steer the team to safety in the league after a poor run of form under predecessor Patrick Vieira.
He was also the Palace manager from September 2017 to May 2021, keeping the London club in the top-flight the entire time.
“This club is very special and means so much to me and has played a big part in my footballing life. I have fully enjoyed my time here across six seasons, as it has given me the chance to work with top class players and staff doing what I love every day," Hodgson said.
Hodgson didn't say whether he would be retiring from soccer management. When he left after his first spell as Palace, he said he would not be coming back to the sport — only to be hired by Watford eight months later.
He recently said changes to the game, such as handball interpretations and VAR, had made him fall out of love with soccer after nearly 50 years in coaching.
“Games like today,” Hodgson said after a 2-1 loss to Liverpool in December, "make me realize that when the day comes to leave it behind, I won’t be missing anything.”
Palace chairman Steve Parish said Hodgson “has a special place” in the club's history.
“After four years in which he led the club to maintaining Premier League status season after season, he once again joined us nearly a year ago to steady the ship, and worked wonders,” Parish said. “That he then agreed to continue in the summer speaks volumes about his commitment to our club. Quite simply, we owe our continued Premier League status to Roy.”
Hodgson's first job in his long, itinerant coaching career was with Halmstad in Sweden in 1976.
He has since taken charge of high-profile clubs such as Inter Milan and Liverpool, and led England's national team from 2012-16.
Before his spell at Eintracht, the 49-year-old Glasner coached Austrian teams SV Ried then LASK, which he guided from the second tier to European qualification in just three seasons. He also spent two seasons at German club Wolfsburg, where he secured Champions League qualification with a top-four finish.
“Wherever Oliver has gone so far in his managerial journey, success has been quick to follow," Parish said, "and we believe his ambition, as well as his exciting and attacking approach, is the perfect fit for getting the most from our talented young squad in the remainder of this Premier League season and beyond.”
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
