Tottenham hero Robbie Keane in shortlist to replace Pierre Sage at Palace

Pierre Sage and Oliver Glasner (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Crystal Palace are reportedly drawing up contingency plans over Pierre Sage’s future, with former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane among the managers being considered if the club decide to make a change.

Sage arrived at Selhurst Park in the summer after guiding Lens to second place in Ligue 1, but his transition to English football has been difficult.

Palace are 17th in the Premier League after eight matches, with only two wins and five defeats, while defensive problems have become particularly concerning.

Tottenhan icon Keane among potential replacements

According to talkSPORT, Palace are assessing several possible replacements as pressure increases on Sage.

Keane is among the names being discussed alongside Sean Dyche, Thomas Frank and Vitor Pereira.

Palace’s latest setback was a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle United, with supporters booing the team at the final whistle. The Eagles have now conceded a league-high 19 goals, highlighting the scale of the defensive problems Sage has been unable to solve.

The pressure surrounding Sage is also reflected elsewhere. CaughtOffside reported that Dyche has emerged as another leading option, with Palace increasingly considering whether they need a more experienced Premier League coach to stabilise the team.

Keane, meanwhile, is available after leaving Ferencváros, where he averaged just over two points per game across his spell in Hungary.

Keane would be a bold gamble at the wrong time

Keane is an intriguing candidate because of his reputation, personality and recent success abroad.

But Palace’s current situation may demand something very different.

They are struggling near the relegation zone, conceding far too many goals and dealing with growing frustration from supporters. That normally points towards a manager with proven experience of stabilising Premier League teams rather than someone taking his first job in England.

Keane could eventually become a strong Premier League coach, but asking him to walk into a difficult relegation battle would represent a significant gamble.

That is why Dyche or Frank may currently look safer.

Sage deserves some sympathy because he inherited a squad undergoing major change, but results are now becoming difficult to ignore.

Palace may not have made a final decision yet, but the fact several replacements are being actively discussed suggests his margin for error is shrinking quickly.

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