Emanuel Pogatetz, the cult hero of Middlesbrough, has returned to the Premier League, joining Crystal Palace as Oliver Glasner’s assistant coach.
Pogatetz joined from Bayer Leverkusen in 2005 and spent five years at Boro becoming a fan favorite. Before departing, he made 158 appearances for the team. After spending two years as the head coach of Austrian team Lask, under the direction of new Palace head coach Glasner, he will conclude his playing career in 2019.
Pogatetz himself would put up his boots and become a coach. After Glasner left, he worked at Lask as Dominik Thalhammer’s assistant. Prior to taking up the position of assistant coach at SKN St. Polten from June 2021 to October 2023, he would also coach at the Upper Austrian Academy and with Juniors O0. He just become the head coach of the Young Violets at Austria Wien, but he’s leaving to take up his new position at Selhurst Park.
The Austrian was named to the backroom staff of Glasner’s Palace, which also includes assistant coaches Michael Angerschmid, Ronald Brunmayr, and Paddy McCarthy. Michael Berktold joins as the team’s health and conditioning coach, and Dean Kiely serves as the goalie coach.
Former Wolfsburg and Frankfurt manager Glasner, 49, comes to Palace to take Roy Hodgson’s place, who resigned last week to give the team more time to prepare. Five points above the relegation zone, they presently hold the 15th position in the Premier League.
