Kelly: You had a really successful playing career as a defender but then, of course, it was cut short., external It wasn’t your choice to retire. Talk us through what happened that caused you to end your playing career.
Oliver: Yes, I played many years. I was not a freshman at that time when I had to retire. I was almost 37. I had a very long career and I enjoyed playing football. I enjoyed being in a team, even then, when I was 37. Then I had my crash head-to-head – an aneurysm, and I had surgery. Everything went well at the end but then I had to retire. But I think it was time. My wife always said, ‘Oh, you would have never retired’ because I love playing football. I love to be in a team and maybe that’s why I became a manager later, because I love to be in a team. I love to support players, I love players, human beings, people.
Kelly: For those that don’t know, it was a head injury that you had. You had a brain haemorrhage and then you had an operation? Didn’t you? But it’s clearly changed your whole perspective. Would you say it’s shaped how you think? Has it changed your attitude?
Oliver: No, I don’t think so.
Kelly: Were you like this before? You were able to use these negatives in such a positive way?
Oliver: Yes, I think so. It was more a confirmation what I was thinking before. We had never taken anything for granted. It was 50-50 to survive, that is what I was told afterwards – but in the moment you don’t know.
It was much, much tougher for my wife and for my children at that time because they need to do an emergency surgery and she had to give her OK. You’re at home on the phone in Austria expecting your husband to play football and then you have to say: ‘OK’ [to surgery]. This is tough. I can’t remember, so for me it was not tough – it was just… I woke up the next morning, I didn’t know where, I couldn’t remember. I didn’t know that this happened. I pressed the button when you’re in the hospital and the nurse came in and I asked, ‘what’s going on?’ so it was tougher for my family.
Also. at that moment I took the phone and turned it back to a selfie because I didn’t know what [I looked like], then I could see that my whole head was cut.
This is then the perspective where I think sometimes – we all know complaining about little things – really little things – it’s not really important. This maybe helped me to create the mindset to really get back into a good mood and enjoying things quickly.
Kelly: Has there been a turning point at all in your career? Is that it?
Oliver: I think who we are starts with how we grow up. My mum was a single mum – she had to work as we needed money and we didn’t have a lot of money, but I still feel I had everything I needed to have a great childhood, even without being rich. Boots I always got from the Easter Bunny and I loved it – we couldn’t buy three pairs of boots a year. I think that keeps me grounded, that keeps me humble. I know where I’m coming from. I will never forget it. I’m always telling my players we should never forget that we’re all living our childhood dream.
I grew up with five TV channels – there was no internet at that time – and I was allowed to watch football when it was at 8pm in the evening. I usually had to go to bed because I had school but when there was a football game on, I was allowed to watch it. sitting there as a small boy there and I could see a few times what is now the Champions League, then it was a European game and I remember Liverpool in the ’80s. I remember it like it was yesterday – sitting there thinking that I would love to be involved in this. Now I am.
With all the challenges we have in our job this is when I sit back and have a coffee and think, ‘Oliver, with all this stuff, come on, don’t complain, you are living a childhood dream. When you were a boy, you wanted to be here. And now you are, so come on, be positive and enjoy what you’re doing.’ It takes me usually maximum one hour and then I’m back on track.
Kelly: You’ve obviously gone on to have an incredibly successful managerial career. We don’t have time to talk about all of it because you’ve achieved so much – be it at Frankfurt or be it here at Crystal Palace now. But when you look back so far, what’s the highlight… the standout of your managerial career?
Oliver: Honestly, for me, the highlight is the whole journey. For me, the highlight is getting to know so many great people and sharing great moments with them, and also sharing great moments with my family. Yes, the finals and winning the Europa League and winning the FA Cup, my whole family was there for that. I am always telling the players these kinds of emotions you can’t buy, you have to deserve it and that makes it so special for me.
It is something different if you get a gift – it’s nice and you’re enjoying it, but if you had to work for achieving something and then you achieve your goal with all the effort, it feels better. No Oliver Glasner, no player, no chairman, no owner, no fan could achieve it [alone] but all together we could.
With this spirit – with this working together and supporting each other – we could achieve winning the FA Cup, we could achieve winning the Europa League, we could win against Liverpool in the Community Shield. I like all these moments sharing with people – people who I had a great time with. I think this is something special and this is what I’m really enjoying and the result is the trophy.
