With his job already under threat at Crystal Palace, Roy Hodgson certainly did little to boost his popularity amongst an increasingly frustrated fanbase.
In late-October, following a 2-1 home defeat by London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the veteran manager raised eyebrows aplenty when he appeared to lay the blame not at Palace’s underperforming senior players but a trio of youngsters.
Jes Rak-Sakyi, Naouirou Ahamada and big-money Brazilian Matheus Franca – then aged between 21 and 19 – were all introduced off the bench against Spurs.
And Hodgson attracted plenty of criticism from a bemused Palace support when claiming that the fresh-faced three actually made The Eagles ‘weaker’, per talkSPORT.
Compare those comments with the ones made by Hodgson’s Selhurst Park successor this week. Ok, a pre-season friendly is not a Premier League fixture. The pressure is not the same, and neither is the importance.
But still, the sight of Oliver Glasner giving chances to – and then publicly praising – Crystal Palace’s next generation will warm the cockles of those keen to see the club’s array of homegrown talent make their mark on the first-team stage.
Asher Agbinone scores as Crystal Palace beat Wolves
Kaden Rodney, Franco Umeh-Chibueze, Roshaun Mathurin, Justin Devenny, Caleb Kporha and Eyimofe Jemide all came off the bench during Crystal Palace’s 3-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in Maryland.
18-year-old forward Asher Agbinone, meanwhile, showed what all the fuss was about as he cut inside following a nice Jordan Ayew pass and curled into the bottom corner with his right foot.
“I really enjoyed Asher,” Glasner tells the Crystal Palace website of a forward who scored 15 times in the Under 18 Premier League last season. “18 years (old), he’s been with us for three days. He did a great finish, so it was a very nice goal.
“(The youngsters) are all good guys. Good talents. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be here with us. They’re very good characters, but I also think it’s important now (to develop).
“They did very good – 45 minutes today – but stay humble. They still have many issues to work on, but this is what they’re doing. They are listening, they are giving their best.
“This is what we demand from every player, giving your best every day. At the end, it’s up to them how their career is going on.
“But they are great talents with different skills, and they showed it today.”
Fine strikes from Jeffrey Schlupp and Jordan Ayew
Crystal Palace have now scored nine goals in their last two pre-season games.
Jeffrey Schlupp and the aforementioned Ayew both found the net in that 6-3 thriller with Crawley Town and continued their excellent off-season form in the USA.
Schlupp lobbed into an open net from long range after Wolves goalkeeper Daniel Bentley had been caught out of position. Ayew then doubled Palace’s lead as he beautifully took down a long Dean Henderson pass before slotting home.
“Jeffrey Schlupp, what a finish from 30 or 40 yards,” adds the former Wolfsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt boss adds. “Also, the second one, a strike from Dean, and how Jordan takes the ball…
“The technical ability is amazing, and then the finish as well.”
New centre-half Chadi Riad also caught the eye vs Gary O’Neil’s side, while only the post denied the razor-sharp Daichi Kamada a deserved goal.
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