Crystal Palace have to appoint a new manager after parting ways with Pierre Sage on Thursday. The Premier League side confirmed his coaching staff, Jamal Alioui, Damien Della Santa and Sandy Guichard, have also left.
The Frenchman took charge of the Eagles in the summer, after an impressive season at RC Lens. However, the London club struggled under his orders, winning only two of their 10 league matches this season.
Crystal Palace are now bottom of the table and took advantage of the international break to cut ties with Sage.
Crystal Palace linked with candidates
Earlier this week, the British press reported on Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg as an option for Crystal Palace. However, the Swede dismissed these links and committed his future to the Championship side.
He said: “Absolutely nothing, absolutely nothing. It’s always nice to be on lists like that, if that’s the case, it shows you’ve done something right. But I think it’s mostly just talk, and for me it’s all about doing a good job here.”
From the UK, Toulouse manager Jens Berthel Askou is named as a target for the English club. He joined the French club in July and has three wins and four days after 10 matches. They are now 12th in the table, four points behind fifth placed Lyon.
The Dane has compatriots, Rasmus Nicolaisen, Thomas Jørgensen and Casper Tengstedt, under his orders at the Ligue 1 side.
Desire to retain Askou
Rasmus Nicolaisen has been speaking to Bold in Denmark, where he confirmed having come across the reports linking the manager to Crystal Palace.
He remains hopeful the UEFA Conference League winners don’t end up appointing Jens Berthel Askou as Pierre Sage’s successor.
“I have seen the rumours. It would be crazy if he already runs away. I hope not,” he said.
“He is talented, and I am really happy that he has come to Toulouse. It is great football, and he is a talented coach. So I can understand if he is interesting to others, but it would be just too soon for him to leave.”
Thomas Frank, who has been without a club since leaving Tottenham Hotspur in February, is also in the running for the Crystal Palace job.
