The Austrian football media have been enthused by Oliver Glasner’s time at Crystal Palace and in English football generally.
Whilst some in Germany have been talking up the manager moving to RB Leipzig, in Austria they’ve questioned whether Glasner has any desire to leave England.
Salzburger Nachrichten have now spoken to an assistant of Glasner’s at Crystal Palace, fitness and conditioning coach Michael Berktold.
He worked with the manager at LASK and Wolfsburg and clearly knows him well.
Salzburger Nachrichten state Berktold was ‘euphoric’ when he spoke to them, fresh from Crystal Palace qualifying for the FA Cup final.
The 44-year-old sounds like he’s having a great time, and told the Austrian newspaper: “I’m doing great. The semi-final at Wembley Stadium was fantastic. The atmosphere was outstanding, and it was the best game I’ve ever experienced.
“We worked hard for the final and are happy to be playing in front of 85,000 spectators again. We will play with confidence, and if we can deliver 100%, any opponent will have a tough time against us.”
When Glasner approached Berktold to join him in England at Crystal Palace, it’s clear it didn’t take much consideration for the Salzburg native to accept the invitation: “The Premier League is an absolute dream for every footballer. I discussed it with my wife and three children, but it quickly became clear that I would take this opportunity.
“The team was in the middle of a relegation battle and not in the best physical shape. But we managed it and can now have the best season in the club’s history.”
Success at Crystal Palace has seen Glasner, and by extension his coaching team, linked with RB Leipzig and other clubs in recent weeks.
Salzburger Nachichten asked about the move rumours and were told: “I’m not thinking about that. Our focus is entirely on the end of the season. We want to achieve a lot by the summer.”