Oliver Glasner accused Crystal Palace’s board of “abandoning” his team in the course of a scathing post-match deconstruction after the 2-1 defeat at Sunderland.
At times the Austrian, who on Friday announced he would be leaving Selhurst Park at the end of this season, sounded as if he was talking himself out of the remaining few months of his contract.
Glasner also made his disappointment at Palace’s decision to sell Marc Guéhi to Manchester City on Friday plain as his players extended their winless run to 10 games in all competitions.
“Your heart gets torn out twice in a season, one day before a game,” reflected Palace’s manger as he referenced his former key attacker Eberechi Eze’s exit for Arsenal in August. “It’s tough to survive. That’s how it feels like right now.
“We played quite well and I think my players left their hearts on the pitch but I couldn’t support them from the bench,” said Glasner who failed to make a single substitution as his side were sunk by goals from Enzo Le Fée and Brian Brobbey after Yéremy Pino had given them the lead against the run of play.
“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. They had never played in a stadium with an atmosphere like this.
“Why I’m saying this is not to protect myself but to protect them. They need protecting. I made no substitutions because it would have been unfair. I see them in training every day. That’s where we are. The [senior] players need support.”
Glasner suggested that the slenderness of a squad he believes is in urgent need of reinforcement is responsible for a disastrous run that last week saw Palace bow out of the FA Cup to non-league Macclesfield.
“We’ve known we’re in this situation for weeks, for months now,” he said. “What are we doing? We’re selling our captain [Guéhi] one day before a game. One day before a game, the first time I heard about it was 10.30am yesterday. All the set pieces, everything was prepared for Guéhi playing.
“Then, we had to change everything. Nobody told us. So then I have to stand in front of the group and tell them, ‘oh, the captain doesn’t play tomorrow’.
“I think the players did well in the circumstances. I’m so direct today because I feel I have to protect them.”
Glasner at least believes relegation can be avoided this season. “I feel we will get these few more points we will need to not get relegated,” he said. “But I know the players are not happy and satisfied. I don’t need support but Crystal Palace needs it.”
Asked how he could stay on while this unhappy, Palace’s manager replied. “Because the players deserve it. The players and the fans deserve it 100%. For me it’s now about fighting with these players to get the results back. But they deserve Oliver Glasner now to be their leader.
“But to protect them I have to say this in public. Saying these things behind closed doors makes no sense. And this is maybe the last try to get things done that have to get done. And, if we continue doing this, Crystal Palace, not Oliver Glasner will get the bill. If you’re fine with that continue.”
Questioned as to whether he expected a “reaction” from the board he said: “I don’t know. It’s their club.”
