Pierre Sage may have been surprised to land the Crystal Palace job, but the Frenchman insists he has no doubts about his readiness for the Premier League.
Sage was appointed as Oliver Glasner’s successor in June after guiding Lens to a second-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
His first Premier League assignment, however, ended in disappointment as Palace fell to a 2-0 defeat against Everton.
The setback has done little to dampen Sage’s ambition.
With Palace preparing to face Manchester City on Friday Night Football, the new head coach has made it clear that he wants more than results.
He wants to leave a lasting footballing identity at Selhurst Park.
“To become a head coach at this level was really surprising for me, and now I want to win. I want people to remember how the team played when I was a coach,” he told Sky Sports.
That message could quickly become the defining feature of Sage’s reign.
Sage’s personality on the touchline may appear understated, but his footballing demands are anything but passive.
The Palace boss says he wants his players to be brave, aggressive and comfortable making decisions for themselves.
“You will see I’m really quiet, calm on the bench during the season too.
“Sometimes it’s different but 99 per cent it’s like this. But my team had to be really different.
“Because I want to give them confidence to take decisions on the pitch. We want to press, we want to have the ball a lot, with the ball we want to create a lot of chances.
“When I’m angry, it’s inside. And I don’t share that with the others, I only share that with the players in the locker room.”
It is a clear blueprint. Sage wants Palace to press high, dominate possession and create opportunities rather than simply react to their opponents.
The Palace manager knows the Premier League will test his philosophy, particularly after losing his opening league match.
But Sage is refusing to abandon his principles simply because the results have not arrived immediately.
“I think I’m ready for that, because if I thought otherwise, I wouldn’t be standing here in front of you today.
“I have to be myself. And some people said I want to die with my idea.
“No, I want to win with my idea. I want the team to play like we want. We can lose sometimes, but in the duration of the league, the team will improve and the fans will recognise our way of playing.”
That confidence will be tested immediately against Manchester City. For Sage, though, the challenge is part of the attraction.
Sage has also been careful to acknowledge the foundations laid by Glasner.
Palace’s previous manager delivered a strong period at the club, and Sage believes the next chapter should build on—not erase—those achievements.
“I have a lot of respect for what the previous manager did with this team and for the players too.
“I think we have to continue because I know that winning games, winning titles have become a habit and that’s why now we have to keep this ambition. But for that, we have to work.”
That final point could prove crucial. Sage has the philosophy. He has the confidence. Now he needs results.
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