Although Roger Schmidt is a strong contender, the Eagles may be considering two standout Championship managers once again.
| 2025/26 La Liga Winner Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Roger Schmidt | 2/1 |
| Frank Lampard | 8/1 |
| Kieran McKenna | 12/1 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Why is Roger Schmidt the current favourite in the market?
Former Bayer Leverkusen head coach, Roger Schmidt, has been the early front-runner in the market. It’s not difficult to see why, given his managerial CV.
The 58-year-old has been at the helm of some of Europe’s biggest clubs, namely Benfica, PSV, and Leverkusen. During his three-year stint with Leverkusen, he maintained a 51.54% win rate, guiding them to qualification for the UCL in two out of his three campaigns.
During his time with Benfica, Schmidt helped them become the first Portuguese side to reach back-to-back UCL quarter-finals.
Schmidt is currently working as a Global Football Advisor to the J.League, the top-tier division of professional football in Japan. Therefore, securing his signature wouldn’t be overly difficult.
Like Glasner, Schmidt had a relatively low-key career as a player. However, he has been in management since 2004.
His style of play is more akin to former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, favouring a counter-pressing system that features winning the ball back high in the final third. An aggressive, high-tempo approach would be welcomed by the Selhurst Park faithful, with the Eagles fans eager to turn their home into a fortress again.
Could Frank Lampard be tempted by a return to London?
If Palace decide to look closer to home, they may cast a keen eye over the West Midlands. Coventry City are the surprise leaders of the Championship at the start of the second half of the season.
The Sky Blues are managed by former Chelsea and Derby boss Frank Lampard, who has galvanised the team with a daring, attacking style of play.
Palace tried to attract Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town when they were in a similar position two seasons ago. Steve Parish may assume that Lampard could be tempted to return to the Premier League, especially if Coventry continue to stutter.
The Sky Blues’ lead at the top of the Championship was comfortably in double figures just a couple of months ago. However, seven successive away defeats across all competitions and two losses to rivals Ipswich have seen Coventry reeled back in by their rivals.
Coventry fans believe their owner, Doug King, should be rolling the dice in the January transfer window to get the team over the line. If Lampard assumes that King doesn’t want to or can’t afford it, he may be willing to move on due to a lack of ambition.
The only concern surrounding Lampard is whether he has a backup plan. His primary plan has been successful in the first half of the Championship season. However, teams have found ways to expose the Sky Blues’ defence in recent weeks, which has heaped further pressure onto City’s attackers.
Will Palace make a second bid to sign Kieran McKenna from Ipswich?
Crystal Palace tried their best to tempt Kieran McKenna away from the Ipswich Town hotseat less than two years ago. The Eagles wanted the Northern Irishman to replace Roy Hodgson in February 2024. However, McKenna declined, remaining loyal to the Tractor Boys’ promotion push, which ultimately proved fruitful.
Despite McKenna’s inability to keep Ipswich in the EPL at the first time of asking, the 39-year-old still has a huge reputation in the game. He and Ipswich are currently embroiled in another automatic promotion battle in the Championship. Palace may be able to tempt him to change clubs in the summer, as the timing could be better.
Nevertheless, it’s still possible that Ipswich are successful in bouncing back to the EPL at the first attempt. In this scenario, McKenna may want another shot at stabilising the Suffolk club in the top flight.
However, if they fail in their mission, McKenna could view this summer as the right time to switch clubs.
Palace would need to pay £4m-£5m to release McKenna from his contract. This is not something the normally frugal Palace owner, Steve Parish, would often consider. However, if it meant securing the signature of an elite coach, it could prove to be a good investment.