‘It’s tough’ – Oliver Glasner on Riedewald and Tomkins Crystal Palace exits

BY ANDREW MCSTEEN

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has revealed his process of squad selection and letting players leave the club, following the announcement this week that long-term players Jairo Riedewald and James Tomkins would leave the club at the end of this season.

Between them, the duo have made 228 appearances for the South London club, but it was announced this week that this season would be their last after Tomkins joined in 2016 and Riedewald a year later.

“Every single decision we take is because we think it’s the best for the squad of Crystal Palace, it’s tough talking to the players, but it’s part of the business,” said Glasner about letting the players go, which he did alongside Sporting Director Dougie Freedman.

“As a coach, as a manager, you have to make decisions every day, so if you don’t want to make decisions, don’t become a manager or a coach.

“It’s always difficult to tell a player he’s not in the squad, we go on the train to Wolverhampton and some players have to stay here and it’s difficult because they work hard during the week and they will deserve it (a place in the squad).

“It’s the same in making substitutions,” added the Austrian manager. “We can have five but have eight players on the bench. Maybe Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew definitely deserve more minutes, but it’s a tough decision.

“I have to take decisions what’s best for the team, what’s best for Crystal Palace and then sometimes they are really tough decisions. What I always do is explain why I take a decision and sometimes the player follows us or they have to accept us because they have no other way, but sometimes maybe they’re thinking ‘crazy guy, I don’t understand him’. But it is the only thing I can do – explain why I take the decision.”