LONDON, Oct 14 — Pierre Sage has admitted in an interview with AFP that the opportunity to manage in the Premier League was one he could simply not refuse as he prepares to return to his native France with Crystal Palace this week.
Palace are in Europa League action tomorrow at Lyon, a special fixture for Sage who got his coaching break there in late 2023 and enjoyed a whirlwind 14 months in charge.
Sage, 47, has now joined a small band of Frenchmen to have managed in the Premier League, following most notably in the footsteps of legendary former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and the late Gerard Houllier, who was in charge at Liverpool.
“I am the 10th French coach to have worked in the Premier League and the slightly crazy thing is that I am the first to have done so without having had 100 matches as a manager,” Sage said.
