Who is Pierre Sage? Background, achievements, tactics & style of play

Crystal Palace are on the verge of concluding their search for Oliver Glasner's successor as they close in on the appointment of Pierre Sage.

Glasner bid farewell to the Eagles after two-and-a-half years in charge by leading the club to its first European trophy by defeating Rayo Vallecano in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig.

A number of coaches have been linked to the vacancy since Glasner announced in January that he will be departing Crystal Palace this summer, including Andoni Iraola and Frank Lampard, but Sage has emerged as the frontrunner for the Selhurst Park hotseat.

Sage is currently the head coach of Ligue 1 outfit RC Lens, who he guided to second in France's top-flight, and won the Coupe de France.

Background & achievements

Sage's ascent to the pinnacle of French professional football is a fascinating tale.

An amatuer footballer with CS Belley and Oyonnax Plastics Vallée until the age of 24, Sage obtained his UEFA Pro Licence and cycled through various scouting, technical and coaching roles in the lower leagues of French football.

An opportunity arose with Lyon in 2019 as a youth coach, and after fulfilling the role for several months, he moved to Red Star in Paris as an assistant manager.

Sage's work did not go unnoticed at Lyon and he returned to Les Gones in July 2023 as the club's academy manager. Five months later he was in the dugout of the Groupama Stadium, succeeding the sacked Fabio Grosso on an interim basis when Lyon were flirting with relegation.

Lyon's transformation under Sage was remarkable. In the same season, they climbed from the foot of the Ligue 1 table to a sixth-placed finish and the Coupe de France final, where they were beaten by the indomitable force that is Paris Saint-Germain.

Despite off-field issues around financial mismanagement, Sage had Lyon in contention for European qualification again in the subsequent season before he was sacked following just one win in five.

Lyon's loss proved to be Lens' gain as Sage replaced Will Still at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis in June 2025.

Les Sang et Or kept PSG honest throughout the Ligue 1 title race and even led the way for six weeks of the season. Although Lens fell six points short of Luis Enrique's side at the end of the campaign, Sage orchestrated the club's first-ever Coupe de France triumph as they defeated OGC Nice 3-1 in the final.

Sage's accomplishments with Lens were recognised by his peers as he was named Ligue 1 Manager of the Year ahead of PSG's Enrique and Lille's Paulo Fonseca.

Honours

RC Lens

• Coupe de France: 2025-26
• Ligue 1 Manager of the Year: 2025-26

Tactics & style

Sage has cultivated a reputation for being one of the most meticulous and intellectual coaches in France.

His path from the amateur leagues through to the French top-flight have enabled him to develop and fine-tune his footballing philosophy, and Sage has successfully implemented a high-intensity system at Lens which boasts a strong defensive structure and flexible attacking movement.

The 48-year-old predominantly deployed a 3-4-3 formation whilst at Lens, shifting away from the 4-3-3 he utilised whilst at Lyon, but Sage would often make subtle adjustments to try and exploit opposition weaknesses.

With a focus on moving the ball into the opposition third as quickly as possible, there is a big demand on the input of his players from a defensive perspective as they look to force errors and complete high turnovers.

Lens were also a notable set-piece threat under Sage's tutelage and they led Ligue 1 for most goals scored from corners with 10.

Sage's tactical profile appears to be a perfect fit for Palace, especially with their ability to transition quickly.

What's been said

"The coach brought back the serenity we needed so much. He knows how to talk to players, he understands how we feel.

"With him, there is no pretending. He gives us freedom while establishing a very clear framework. It's exactly what we needed."

Former Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki on Sage's impact after being appointed interim head coach (L'Equipe)