Tony Popovic has emerged as a potential candidate to take charge of Crystal Palace, with Pierre Sage’s future in serious doubt following a difficult start to the Premier League season. The Australia coach is among several names reportedly under consideration, although former Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank is regarded as the leading contender.

Palace’s 3–1 home defeat to Liverpool on Sunday left them bottom of the table after 10 matches, with just two league victories and a division-high 24 goals conceded. Reports indicate that the club intend to use the two-week international break to resolve the managerial situation and make a swift appointment should Sage depart after only 16 games in charge.

For Popovic, the link offers the possibility of returning to a club where he has substantial history. He spent five seasons at Selhurst Park as a centre-back between 2001 and 2006, later returning for a year as assistant manager to Dougie Freedman. He has not previously managed Palace’s first team, making any appointment a new responsibility rather than a resumption of an earlier managerial spell.

The 53-year-old remains in charge of Australia and has begun discussions with Football Australia over a contract extension. His future has attracted attention following a successful international spell in which he guided the Socceroos through World Cup qualification and into the knockout stages of the 2026 tournament. There is no confirmed departure from the national-team role or agreement to join Palace.

Popovic subsequently played down the reports when questioned in Doha ahead of Australia’s fixtures against Qatar and Jordan. “I wasn’t aware of any of that until [the Socceroos media team] just showed me,” he said. “It’s speculation. That happens in coaching for different reasons.” He also confirmed that dialogue over his Australia contract had started, while stopping short of guaranteeing that he would remain beyond its expiry.

Palace’s interest nevertheless reflects the urgency of their position. The defeat to Liverpool intensified concerns about a defence that has struggled throughout Sage’s short tenure, leaving the board to assess whether continuity offers a realistic route to improvement. With the club bottom rather than safely above the relegation zone, the next appointment would carry an immediate responsibility to stabilise results.

Popovic’s familiarity with Palace gives him a connection that other candidates lack, but it does not make him the automatic choice. Frank is reportedly the club’s preferred option, with talks held over a possible appointment. Sean Dyche and Vítor Pereira are also among the alternatives, providing the board with candidates who have recent experience of managing in the Premier League.

The international break creates a practical opportunity for a new coach to begin work before Palace’s next league fixture, away to Coventry City on November 21. A home meeting with Hull City follows eight days later, giving the club an important sequence of matches as they attempt to improve their position.

For now, Popovic’s involvement remains speculation, not a move on the verge of completion. His Palace connections make him a credible name in the discussion, but his ongoing Australia negotiations and Frank’s reported status as the preferred candidate leave the outcome uncertain. The immediate decision belongs to Palace’s hierarchy, whose priority is finding a manager capable of turning a damaging start into a sustainable recovery.