Gareth Southgate, the former England manager, has been linked with a return to Premier League management, potentially taking the reins at Crystal Palace.
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Current Palace manager Oliver Glasner is under mounting pressure following a disastrous start to the season, with the Eagles failing to win any of their first eight Premier League games.
Southgate, who began his professional playing career at Palace, is being touted as a possible replacement, which would be an emotional homecoming to the club where he made nearly 200 appearances.
Palace’s dismal form under Glasner, with just three points from eight matches and a paltry five goals scored, has put the Austrian boss’ job at risk.
Despite a promising end to the previous season, which raised expectations, the south London club now finds itself flirting with relegation, although they remain off the bottom thanks to even worse starts by Wolves and Southampton.
The Guardian reports that Glasner’s fate could be sealed before the next international break unless he secures some vital wins in the coming matches.
Palace’s upcoming fixtures include challenging encounters against Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup, Wolves, and Fulham. Should Glasner fail to deliver victories, the club could turn to Southgate to guide them out of trouble.
Southgate’s history with Crystal Palace is well known. He debuted for the club in 1990 and became a fan favorite, eventually captaining the team at the age of 23.
Although he later moved on to Aston Villa and Middlesbrough, his connection with the Eagles remains strong.
However, a return to management may not be in Southgate’s immediate plans. Since stepping down from his role as England manager following a defeat in the Euro 2024 final, he has indicated a desire to take a break from coaching.
Speaking at the ECA Europe general assembly, Southgate said, “I won’t coach in the next year, for sure. I need to give myself time to make good decisions.” He stressed the importance of allowing both body and mind to recover after such a high-pressure role.
Despite his reluctance to return to coaching so soon, his name continues to be floated as a potential successor to Glasner. Alongside Southgate, other candidates rumored to be in consideration include Graham Potter and David Moyes.
Potter has been out of work since his departure from Chelsea in April 2023 and was previously in talks with Palace before they appointed Glasner. Moyes, who left West Ham at the end of last season, has also been linked to various Premier League jobs, including at Everton and Southampton.
For Glasner, this represents a remarkable fall from grace. After a strong start at Palace and even being linked with the Bayern Munich job over the summer, he now finds himself battling to save his job.
Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness revealed that the German giants had spoken with Glasner about their managerial role, which eventually went to Vincent Kompany. However, Palace refused to let him go at the time.
As Crystal Palace navigate this challenging period, the question remains whether Southgate could be tempted back to Selhurst Park for a new chapter in his managerial career.
