Oliver Glassner talks management, life-threatening injuries, and teenage partying

Kelly: I had a really successful career as a player as a defender, but then, of course, it was cut short., external It was not your choice to retire. Talk to us about what happened that caused your football career to end.

Oliver: Yes, I have played for many years. I wasn’t a freshman at the time when I had to retire. I was almost 37 years old. I had a very long career and enjoyed playing football. I enjoyed being on a team, even then, when I was 37 years old. Then I had a direct accident – an aneurysm, and had surgery. Everything went well in the end but then I had to retire. But I think the time has come. My wife always said, “Oh, you would never quit” because I loved playing football. I like being in a team and maybe that’s why I became a coach later, because I like being in a team. I love supporting players, I love players, people and people.

Kelly: For those who don’t know, it was a head injury. Did you have a brain bleed and then had an operation? Isn’t it? But obviously it changed your entire perspective. Would you say it’s shaped by how you think? Has your attitude changed?

Oliver: No, I don’t think so.

Kelly: Have you been like this before? Were you able to use these negatives in such a positive way?

Oliver: Yes, I think so. It was more confirming than I had thought before. We never take anything for granted. It was 50-50 survival, that’s what I was told afterwards – but at the moment you don’t know.

It was much more difficult for my wife and children at the time because they needed to have emergency surgery and she had to give consent. You’re at home and you’re on the phone in Austria and you’re expecting your husband to play football and then you have to say, “Okay.” [to surgery]. This is difficult. I can’t remember, so it wasn’t that hard for me – it was just… I woke up the next morning, and I didn’t know where, and I couldn’t remember. I didn’t know this happened. I pressed the button when I was in the hospital and the nurse came in and asked, “What’s going on?” So it was more difficult for my family.

also. At that moment I took the phone and put it back on selfie because I didn’t know what [I looked like]Then I saw that my whole head was cut off.

This is the perspective I think about sometimes – we all know that complaining about the little things – the really little things – doesn’t really matter. This probably helped me get into the mindset to get back into a good mood and enjoy things quickly.

Kelly: Was there a turning point at all in your career? Is this it?

Oliver: I believe that who we are starts with how we grow up. My mother was a single mother – she had to work because we needed money and we didn’t have a lot of money, but I still felt like I had everything I needed to have a great childhood, even without being rich. Shoes I always got from the Easter Bunny and loved them – we couldn’t afford three pairs of shoes a year. I think that keeps me grounded, that keeps me humble. I know where you come from. I will never forget it. I always tell my players that we should never forget that we are all living our childhood dream.

I grew up with five TV channels – and there was no internet back then – and I was allowed to watch football when it was 8pm. I usually had to go to sleep because I had school, but when there was a football match, I was allowed to watch it. I was sitting there when I was a little kid and I got to see what is now called the Champions League a few times, then it was a European game and I remember Liverpool in the 80s. I remember it like it was yesterday – I was sitting there thinking I want to be involved in this. Now I am.

With all the challenges we face in our work, this is the time when I sit down and have a coffee and think, “Oliver, with all this stuff, come on, don’t complain, you’re living a childhood dream.” When you were a boy, you wanted to be here. And now you are, so go ahead, stay positive and enjoy what you’re doing. It usually takes me an hour max and then I’m back on track.

Kelly: You’ve obviously gone on to have an incredibly successful management career. We don’t have time to talk about all that because you’ve achieved so much, whether it’s in Frankfurt or here at Crystal Palace now. But when you look back so far, what has been the highlight of your managerial career?

Oliver: Honestly, for me, the highlight of the trip is the entire trip. For me, the highlight is getting to know so many wonderful people and sharing wonderful moments with them, as well as sharing wonderful moments with my family. Yes, the finals, winning the Europa League, winning the FA Cup, my whole family was there for that. I always tell players these kinds of feelings you can’t buy them, you have to earn them and that’s what makes them so special to me.

It’s one thing if you get a gift – it’s nice and you enjoy it, but if you have to work towards something and then achieve your goal with all the effort, it’s even better. No Oliver Glassner, no player, no president, no owner, no fan can make it happen [alone] But together we can.

In this spirit – and in this working together and supporting each other – we can win the FA Cup, we can win the Europa League, we can beat Liverpool in the Community Shield. I love all these moments that I share with people – people with whom I had a good time. I think that’s something special and that’s what I really enjoy and the result is the trophy.