Oliver Glasner: Background, managerial record and style of play

We take a look at Oliver Glasner's managerial credentials following the Austrian's appointment as Roy Hodgson's replacement at Crystal Palace, including his background, notable achievements and style of play.

Background

Born in Scharding in northern Austria, Glasner was a professional footballer who turned out as a defender for SV Ried over 500 times in a playing career which spanned 19 years between 1992 and 2011.

Spending the majority of his playing days with SV Ried in the second tier of Austrian football, Glasner earned promotion to the top flight of the Austrian Bundesliga on two occasions - in 1995 and 2005.

Glasner would also win the Austrian Cup twice with SV Ried during the 1997/98 and 2010/11 seasons, 

Finishing fifth in the voting for Austria's Footballer of the Year in 2008, Glasner never received a senior international cap for his country.
 

Managerial record

SV Ried (2014 - 2015)

Glasner's coaching career initially began at Red Bull Salzburg, spending time as CEO Peter Vogl's management assistant before asking director of football Ralf Rangnick for an opportunity in coaching, which prompted his appointment as first team assistant manager to Roger Schmidt.

After a successful two-year stint alongside Schmidt at RB Salzburg, during which the club were crowned Austrian champions, Glasner decided to pursue his own career in management back in familiar territory at SV Ried, with Schmidt appointed Bayer Leverkusen boss in the German Bundesliga.

Glasner spent one year as head coach of SV Ried in 2014/15, with the team finishing sixth in the Austrian Bundesliga.
 

LASK (2015 - 2019)

After his one year stint at SV Ried, Glasner took the reins at LASK in the Austrian second tier as the club's director of sport as well as head coach in 2015.

Glasner steered LASK to promotion to the Austrian Bundesliga as Erste Liga champions in his second season, before guiding the club to fourth position and Europa League qualification in their first campaign back in the top flight.

In his second term in the Austrian Bundesliga, Glasner inspired LASK to second in the table behind perennial champions RB Salzburg, sealing a Champions League qualifying berth for the next season.
 

VfL Wolfsburg (2019 - 2021)

Glasner's exploits with Linz-based LASK prompted Wolfsburg to bring the Austrian over to the German Bundesliga in 2019.

Wolfsburg finished in seventh in the Bundesliga in Glasner's first season in charge, sealing Europa League qualification.

The Austrian would lead Wolfsburg to even better results in the subsequent 2020/21 campaign, with the Wolves finishing fourth in the Bundesliga to secure a place in the Champions League.
 

Eintracht Frankfurt (2021 - 2023)

Austrian Glasner's next move was to take over at Eintracht Frankfurt on a three-year deal in May 2021.

Eintracht Frankfurt were inconsistent in the Bundesliga in 2021/22, finishing 11th in the table, but Glasner was able to inspire the Eagles to Europa League glory with the Germans triumphing over Rangers on penalties in the final in Seville.

The following season saw Glasner's charges progress through the Champions League group stages before being knocked out by Napoli in the round of 16, whilst Frankfurt finished seventh in the Bundesliga.

Frankfurt also reached the DFB-Pokal final in 2022/23, but lost 2-0 to RB Leipzig, with Glasner opting to depart the club at the end of the campaign.
 

Tactics and style of play

49-year-old Glasner's tactical philosophy revolves around an emphasis on counter-pressing and counter-attacking, with his Eintracht Frankfurt side characterised by their intelligent pressing off the ball and capacity to punish teams in the final third with incisive attacking play.

The Austrian encourages his players to get the ball forward as quickly as possible, with his teams renowned for their running intensity and fluidity in attack.

His ideas are very much in the same school of thinking as Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, with a tactical approach focused upon counter-pressing - seeking to swarm around the opposition as soon as possession is lost and attempt to exploit the space opened up in transition.

A very meticulous coach with an eye for detail, Glasner's teams are very well organised with each player made aware of their responsibilities and role within the team's system of pressing.

At Eintracht Frankfurt Glasner preferred a formation lining up with three at the back and two wing-backs, typically favouring a 3-4-2-1 set up.

Ensuring his players are well-drilled and always on the same page allows Glasner to create a team which is difficult to play against and stronger than the sum of its parts, an ethos which could make him an ideal fit at Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
 

Crystal Palace Premier League 2023/24 Odds:

Not to be Relegated - 1/9
To be relegated - 11/2