Trophy-winning boss contacted by Crystal Palace with decision made on replacing Sage
The search for a new Crystal Palace manager has reached a curious point, with the Eagles recently approaching an interesting new candidate.
Crystal Palace’s rumoured managerial shortlist
Aside from that, one of the men linked with the job is due to be on the opposite bench in their next game.
The Standard says Frank Lampard is under consideration, and Palace visit his Coventry side later this month. The Chelsea legend recently signed a new deal until 2029 in June, so getting him to switch dugouts would take some doing.
Thomas Frank is still out in front, as per numerous reports, and Palace considered him before appointing Pierre Sage in June. The former Brentford manager has been out of work since Tottenham let him go in February, giving Palace someone they can speak to without first having to deal with another club.
Sunday’s defeat by Liverpool was their fourth straight league loss and left them bottom.
Sean Dyche is also in the mix, while Sky Sports says Palace are considering Toulouse’s Jens Berthel Askou and former RB Leipzig manager Ole Werner.
The bigger question is which of those managers actually wants to take it on.
Eddie Howe responds to Crystal Palace approach
The Sun reports that Palace have recently approached Eddie Howe about replacing Sage.
However, they came away with a polite no.
The paper says the ex-Newcastle manager is ready to work again, which makes his answer a blow to a club looking for someone who could start during the break.
Howe stepped down in July after almost five years at Newcastle, saying he needed time to recharge after a season that ended with the club in 12th.
|
Eddie Howe at Newcastle (2021–26) |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Overall |
PL |
|
Played |
231 |
179 |
|
Won |
116 |
84 |
|
Drawn |
43 |
38 |
|
Lost |
72 |
57 |
|
Win rate |
50.2% |
46.9% |
It was his choice to go, and The Sun gives no specific reason for him passing on Palace now that he’s open to a return.
Man United have also been looking at him, with BBC Sport saying United sounded Howe out in October, while The Sun reported he had been studying their games with Michael Carrick under pressure.
Mauricio Pochettino is in the running there too, so turning down Palace doesn’t settle anything about Howe’s next move.
It’s easy to see why Palace made the call.
Howe took Newcastle into the Champions League twice and won the Carabao Cup in 2025, but the work he did before they were anywhere near a trophy is what made him such a natural name to put on the list.
Palace need to back their next boss in January
Howe took over Newcastle in November 2021 with the club in the bottom three and five points from safety.
They finished 11th, and the bit Palace should remember is what happened in between. Newcastle brought in five players that January, with Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimarães among them.
That makes the recruitment conversation almost as important as the one about the manager.
Palace have conceded 24 goals in 10 league games, and if their next boss thinks he needs an experienced defender to take charge in the box, the club should tell him whether they can get one before he signs.
There’s still plenty to do with the squad he inherits, and chairman Steve Parish needs to back whoever comes in.
Palace go to Coventry before hosting Real Sociedad five days later, so the next manager will have to decide how much he can change in a handful of sessions.
Getting a manager in quickly would buy Palace time on the training pitch, but telling him what help he can count on in January would give him a better chance of making that time a success.
