This season, following Graeme Souness's departure, French coach Oliver Glasner took over at Crystal Palace, leading the team to victory in their first home match of the Premier League season. On the morning of October 13 (CET), English media outlet The Sun published a special column discussing Sage's interesting background before joining Crystal Palace. The full translation is as follows:

There is a new manager at Selhurst Park, and his name is Pierre Sage. The Crystal Palace manager has grown accustomed to being underestimated, overlooked, or even completely dismissed.

However, the journey of defying expectations and proving doubters wrong has shaped this Frenchman's career. Unlike his predecessor Oliver Glasner, who arrived in South London with an impressive playing career and a UEFA Europa League title with Eintracht Frankfurt on his resume, Sage has always been viewed as an outsider.

Nevertheless, the 47-year-old Sage is determined to prove that his remarkable season at Lens was no accident. While results haven't always gone his way, his start at Crystal Palace has already been very encouraging.

But it is off the pitch where his humanity is making a profound impression.

Insiders at Crystal Palace have revealed that Sage demonstrates excellent understanding of his players' personal situations, knowing when to be a manager, when to be a father figure, and when to be a brother, putting an arm around players to comfort them.

For example, Ismaïla Sarr, the Senegalese winger, was deeply affected when his dream move to Liverpool fell through during the summer transfer window.

Rather than demanding he put his disappointment behind him, Sage gave the winger time and space to recover both physically and mentally, gradually reintegrating him into the first team consistently.

Those close to Sage were struck by the Crystal Palace manager's empathy, especially after it became clear the player would remain at Selhurst Park.

Sage extended this understanding to other team members, reassuring players who needed convincing that there was still plenty to fight for when everyone worked together.

This Sunday's result may be the clearest indication yet that his philosophy is taking root.

Crystal Palace's 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest, now managed by Glasner, not only gave Sage his first home Premier League win since taking charge, but also gave the loyal fans at Selhurst Park a glimpse of the future.

In many ways, the French coach is trying to recreate the magic he achieved at Lens. When he took over an unfancied team in summer 2025, few expected them to challenge French football's giants.

However, Sage led the team to finish second in Ligue 1, just six points behind Paris Saint-Germain, and successfully guided them back to the Champions League.

Even more remarkably, he led Lens to win the Coupe de France for the first time in their history, ending the club's 120-year wait for the trophy.

This season completely transformed his reputation and made a profound impression on the players under his care.

Malang Sarr, the former Chelsea defender who played under Sage at Lens, believes Crystal Palace fans will soon discover what makes their new manager special.

He told The Sun: "You will see, the fans will gradually like him. He doesn't show much emotion, but he sees everything. Last year, he created an amazing atmosphere with a clear playing style, and we all enjoyed it.

"I think he will try to do the same thing in the Premier League. He's very good at getting players to play for him, which can be very important. So let's wait and see."

Sage has also brought his philosophical approach to his new environment, rooted in experiences quite different from those of typical Premier League managers. Perhaps the most direct expression of his thinking emerged during the summer transfer window, when fans called for new signings and big-name acquisitions.

Rather than complain about the club's financial resources, Sage drew on his experience growing up with parents who ran a restaurant in the small eastern French town of Belley.

He told The Guardian: "I'm not frustrated. We are not a bank. We are self-sufficient. My parents opened a restaurant, and although I hope we have many customers every day, sometimes we don't, and we have to deal with it every day. Football is the same."

For someone who understands what it means to fight from the bottom to the top, this answer is refreshing and sensible.

Unlike most Premier League managers, Sage never played professional football. He dreamed of becoming a goalkeeper, but his playing career remained at the amateur level.

Instead, he began coaching youth teams at age 16 and spent many years honing his coaching skills in corners far removed from the glare of Europe's top leagues.

He also helped his parents run their restaurant, and while coaching Annecy's U19 team, he drove the team's minibus himself to transport players to and from matches.

There were no luxurious surroundings, no massive budgets, or superstars to manage. Just a young coach eager to learn and with unwavering determination to reach the top.

As the saying goes, if you spend enough time in a barbershop, eventually you'll get a haircut. For Sage, years of football education, working behind the scenes, and patiently waiting for his opportunity eventually paid off.

His coaching path began in Lyon's academy system, followed by work at Red Star under Habib Beye, the former Newcastle defender.

He later returned to Lyon as head of youth development until an unexpected opportunity changed the course of his career.

In November 2023, following Fabio Grosso's sacking, Sage was appointed interim manager of Lyon's first team. At that time, Lyon were in serious trouble, bottom of Ligue 1 and facing the threat of relegation.

But Sage turned things around remarkably, leading them to finish sixth and earning European football as a reward. He was given a permanent contract through 2026, though this fairy tale ended prematurely due to poor form and he was sacked in January 2025.

For some managers, such a setback might be difficult to overcome, but for Sage, it opened another wonderful chapter.

After leading the team to eighth place in Ligue 1, English striker Will Still moved to Southampton, and Lens made an offer to Sage. The following season would be memorable for everyone involved with the French club.

Amadou Haidara, the Malian midfielder who played under Sage at Lens, told The Sun that his former manager's ability to build trust in the dressing room was key to his success.

He said: "He is a smart coach. I think he gets on well with the people he works with, and the trust he builds is shown in matches. If Sage can keep things running smoothly, Crystal Palace will have a special season.

"I think he will be successful in the Premier League because he has all the necessary qualities."

Whether Sage can replicate those impressive achievements in English football remains to be seen. Since taking charge at Selhurst Park, he has a record of four wins, one draw, and three losses in his first eight official matches.

But the victory over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, against the same coach he replaced at Crystal Palace, means far more than just three points.

It is a statement of intent, a reminder that Sage can find a way even when circumstances seem stacked against him.

For a manager who spent most of his career waiting for others to believe in him, such a victory may offer something worth far more than confidence.

It may be the spark that turns a small flame into a roaring fire.

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