Crystal Palace have decided Pierre Sage is the man to take over from Oliver Glasner. The French coach has reportedly agreed a deal in principle with the Eagles.
Sage became Palace’s top candidate for the job after Andoni Iraola opted to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool. His track record speaks for itself, impressing in charge of Lens and Lyon in Ligue 1.
With that said, we look at why Steve Parish and the board have turned to the 47-year-old and what makes him ideal for the Selhurst Park hot seat.
Pierre Sage – Miracle worker
Sage has a proven knack for steering clubs out of difficult situations and propelling them up the table. Take, for example, Lyon, who sat at the bottom of Ligue 1 when he replaced Fabio Grosso in November 2023.
The French tactician won 15 of 22 games, guiding Lyon to a sixth-placed finish and Europa League qualification. He achieved this with behind-the-scenes issues and financial problems occuring at Groupama Stadium.
John Textor decided to sack Sage the following season despite Lyon sitting sixth and just three points off Champions League spots. They finished the campaign in the same position.
The American businessman would live to regret his decision to dismiss Sage. He watched him go to Lens in July last year and guide the French outfit to a second-placed finish in the top-flight.
Sage’s greatest achievement saw him take Lens to the Coupe de France trophy. His side beat Lyon in the quarter-finals before defeating Nice 3-1 in the final.
This highlights just why he is so highly-respected in French football. So much so, he won Ligue 1’s Manager of the Season award at the expense of PSG’s Luis Enrique who called him ‘incredible.’
Tactically astute
Sage typically prefers a 4-3-3 formation, though it shifts across different phases of play. His teams play a proactive style, with elements of Pep Guardiola’s positional football philosophy.
The soon-to-be Palace boss wants his full-backs to push high and his team to attack immediately upon regaining possession. Of the candidates on the list of Glasner replacements, he looks to implement the most entertaining style of play, other than Ireola.
Sage also focuses on defensive organisation and that bodes well from the Eagles’ experience under Glasner. The likes of Maxence Lacroix and Jaydee Canvot could thrive under their compatriot.
Impressive Development
Sage hasn’t only spent his career in football on the touchline as a first-team manager. He’s held several other roles, including academy manager at Lyon.
The Frenchman played a role in Rayan Cherki’s meteoric rise, more so as his coach. He gave the Manchester City attacker more freedom and reaped the rewards as he grew into one of Europe’s top playmaking talents.
While serving as academy manager, Sage helped unearth Bradley Barcola, who shone in the club’s youth ranks. He eventually joined PSG, where he’s become a two-time European Champion and one of the most highly rated wingers in Europe.
