Crystal Palace have appointed French coach Pierre Sage as their new manager on a three-year contract, replacing Oliver Glasner following the expiration of his deal at the end of last season, the Premier League club said Monday.
The 47-year-old arrives at Selhurst Park after a strong spell with RC Lens, where he guided the club to their first Coupe de France title and secured a second-place finish in Ligue 1, earning Champions League qualification for only the fourth time in their history.
Sage is expected to take charge of a Palace side aiming to reset its trajectory after finishing 15th in the Premier League last season under Glasner, who announced in January that he would not extend his contract.
“It’s amazing to be here at Crystal Palace. I am excited by the history of the club, and by recent seasons,” Sage said in a statement. “Oliver Glasner achieved some amazing things and now I have to do the same. That’s why we come here with a lot of ambition.”
Palace have experienced a period of relative success in recent years, including European silverware, and Sage said he intends to build on that momentum while instilling a winning mentality at the club.
“The dynamic here is really positive and we are in this mindset too,” he said. “We won last year and we want to continue in this way, in a new club, a new project, but with a lot of winning habits.”
“We want to give our best every day for the team, for the club, for the people, and especially for the fans, because when you love a club in England, it’s for all your life.”
Sage previously worked as an assistant at Lyon-Duchere and Red Star before making a strong impact during a managerial spell at Olympique Lyonnais, where he helped secure European qualification and guided the team to a Coupe de France final.
