LONDON (The Thursday Times) — Crystal Palace have sacked manager Pierre Sage after 16 games, the club said on Thursday, with the team bottom of the Premier League. Thomas Frank, the former Brentford and Tottenham manager, is reported to be in advanced talks to replace him.
Palace said Sage’s backroom staff would also leave. “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Pierre and his staff for their efforts during their time in south London, and wish them well for the future,” the club said, adding that an update on a new appointment would follow in due course.
Four league defeats in a row
The Frenchman was appointed in June to replace Oliver Glasner, with Palace paying more than £4m to buy him out of his contract at Lens. Sunday’s 3-1 defeat by Liverpool left them last in the table.
Palace have seven points from 10 games and have conceded 24 goals, the most in the division. They have lost four league games in a row, and a run of eight matches included a 5-0 defeat by rivals Brighton. They are 21st of 36 teams in the Europa League table.
Frank the favourite
Frank has been out of work since Tottenham dismissed him in February. He held talks with Palace in the summer, and the club hopes to have a new manager in place before next Saturday’s trip to Coventry. Former Nottingham Forest managers Sean Dyche and Vítor Pereira are also under consideration, according to reports.
Sage, who won the Coupe de France with Lens and took them into the Champions League, is reported to be the favourite to return there after the French club sacked Yannick Cahuzac on Tuesday. He reportedly fell out with the board over the failure to replace centre-backs Marc Guéhi and Maxence Lacroix, who left for Manchester City and Chelsea.
Palace’s decision came on the same day that Manchester United sacked Michael Carrick.
