ROY HODGSON collapsed during Crystal Palace training today as the club were lining up Oliver Glasner as his replacement.
The veteran Eagles manager, 76, was taken to hospital alongside club chairman Steve Parish to undergo tests after his pre-Everton press conference was hastily cancelled.
Palace confirmed that the former England manager was “stable” while his assistant, Ray Lewington, confirmed that Hodgson was “alright”.
The Eagles coach was scheduled to preview the crucial game at Everton at 1.30pm today, but the press conference was cancelled 37 minutes before it was due to start.
A people-carrier then carried Hodgson to hospital.
Coach Paddy McCarthy took charge for the rest of the training session after Hodgson fell ill and is expected to be in charge alongside Lewington at Goodison Park on Monday night.
It is the second time this season that Hodgson has suffered a health scare, suffering an unexplained episode at the team hotel before Palace faces Aston Villa in September.
The ex-Liverpool and Inter Milan manager was rushed to Good Hope Hospital on that occasion but said later that doctors could not determine the exact cause having undergone numerous tests.
Hodgson has been under increasing pressure at Selhurst Park after a run of just two wins from their last 14 games, leaving them just five points above the relegation zone.
While performances have been poor, Hodgson has been battling a desperate injury situation with Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Cheick Doucoure all currently injured.
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Roy Hodgson’s record at Palace
2017-21
Games 162
Win percentage 33%
Goals per game 1.2
Goals conceded per game 1.5
2023-24
Games 38
Win percentage 32%
Goals per game 1.3
Goals conceded per game 1.6
Hodgson admitted recently that this was the most difficult period of his career as Palace fans had turned on the manager, with protests also targeting the owners.
Before the shocking incident during the training session, Palace were close to confirming that Hodgson would depart anyway – with former Eintracht Frankfurt boss Glasner having agreed a deal until 2026.
Palace have been holding talks with numerous potential candidates in recent weeks.
The Eagles thought they were close to nabbing the impressive Ipswich manager Kieran McKenna, but the former Manchester United coach decided he wanted to stay at Portman Road as they push for a shock promotion.
Steve Cooper and Julen Lopetegui were both also approached but not keen on taking the job during the season and with so many key players injured.
Graham Potter was sounded out in the summer and turned the job down so Palace did not return to the former Chelsea and Brighton manager.
Who is Oliver Glasner?
FORMER defender Oliver Glasner is a Europa League-winning manager.
The Austrian, 49, spent his entire playing career in his homeland, and was a one-club man, playing 516 times over 19 years for SV Reid.
But he was forced to retire in terrifying circumstances when he developed a brain haemorrhage after heading a ball in training.
Emergency surgery saved his life but it spelled the end of him playing career, aged 37.
Thankfully, Glasner recovered and embarked upon what has become a very successful coaching career.
He reached out to Ralf Rangnick for a job and became sports coordinator and assistant manager at Red Bull Salzburg.
Glasner was handed his first managerial role at former club SV Ried in 2014, guiding the club to a sixth place finish in the Austrian Bundesliga.
He then moved on to LASK, where he served as both manager and director of football between 2015 and 2019.
During that time, LASK won promotion back to the top-flight and returned to Europe before a second place finish in Glasner’s final season in charge.
Following his success at LASK, Glasner moved to Germany with Wolfsburg in 2019.
After securing Champions League football in 2021, the Austrian moved to Frankfurt.
His maiden season with the club would end with European glory, as Frankfurt beat Rangers on penalties in the Europa League final.
The triumph earned the club their third European trophy and first since 1980.
Glasner left the Eagles last summer after a seventh place finish and a run to the Champions League last 16.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
