With Crystal Palace still winless after eight games, equalling their worst start to a Premier League season, and Tottenham Hotspur up next on Sunday, Oliver Glasner is a man under pressure.
His position as manager is not yet under threat, but there is much for him to ponder as he grapples with the problem of his side’s failure to win and, just as significantly, even put in performances that give a sense they are close to clicking.
The Austrian spoke to the media for 37 minutes in his latest pre-match press conference on Friday. Here, The Athletic analyses his comments.
On dealing with the pressure and the relentless nature of the job
Glasner: “I have a call in the evening with my wife and children. My daughter tells me about school, about riding a horse, going to track and field… and then football is far away. It gives you a different perspective on things. I try to take time. It can be in the gym or maybe going to a driving range playing golf. It’s about getting the mind free. It’s important to stay calm and not get influenced by all the emotions.
“We had six weeks off in the summer and I spoke to my sporting director (Dougie Freedman) every day, sometimes two or three times. It’s always a 24-7 job. ‘What can I do with my staff, more input, more tactics, less…
