Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Pierre Sage has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Everton 2 – 0 Crystal Palace
Saturday 22 August, Hill Dickinson Stadium
Pierre Sage — Crystal Palace (away)
9/12 · Identity level fed: None reached
“The first half we play as we decided but the second half we let the opponent score the second goal. When we had the ball, we don’t play with speed. When you don’t play quick, the opponent is comfortable.”
“We didn’t create so much in the second half. We have to be quicker in our play to be more assertive to take decisions quickly.”
“We don’t deserve to win this game but we deserve to win the first half. We miss something today. It’s about us, we have to take the lesson and be better for the next game.”
Sage gives the clearest diagnosis of the weekend. Palace slowed down, and a slow team lets the opponent get comfortable. He wants them quicker on the ball and quicker in the head, and he says so in terms his players can act on this week. He takes the result honestly, saying Palace did not deserve to win it. What he leaves out is his players. Not one strength, quality or attribute is named anywhere in the answer, so the squad hears an accurate account of the problem with nothing of their own to solve it with.
Source: Sky Sports match report, Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace — skysports.com
Matchweek 2
Crystal Palace 1 – 4 Manchester City
Friday 28 August, Selhurst Park
Pierre Sage – Crystal Palace (home)
8/12 · Identity level fed: Belonging
I’m frustrated with the score. It’s heavy. We gave 60-65 good minutes. It’s our story for the moment.
We know we’re a bit late in our pre-season. It’s why it was 45 minutes in the last game and 65 minutes today. The bad moment is the 3-1. We came back.
We lost our hope in this situation. Before that we had a lot of chances which we missed. Against a team like this you need to be at your top. We let them put the ball in the box.
We know Erling Haaland can do good things with his head. We had a lot of opportunities and didn’t take it. Football is not about style, it’s about efficiency. and sometimes you need the points to have confidence.
Jean-Philippe Mateta was injured two days before the game. At the end of a session, individual work. It’s crazy. Maybe we’ve lost him for four weeks at least.
We were able to play 60, 65 minutes staying in the game but when I made the substitutions, the energy of the team went down and I’m a little bit angry with that. Both, because we are together and I wish my team was in every moment. I talked to the players, today we existed in this game with many chances. 3-1 was really poor because we made a tactical mistake.
We had a lot of chances and it’s difficult to level up against this kind of team.
Sage gives the defeat a time limit. Palace managed 60 to 65 good minutes because the squad is late in its pre-season, and the collapse begins at a specific point, the third goal and the loss of energy after the substitutions. He names the tactical mistake and shares the anger with his players: “Both, because we are together.” That feeds Belonging and keeps the criticism narrow. The answer still gives the players little to carry into the next match beyond greater efficiency and steadier energy.
Source: Sky Sports post-match interview, reproduced in NBC Sports live coverage, source page
Matchweek 3
Fulham 2–3 Crystal Palace
Craven Cottage · King 11′, Palacios 42′; Mitchell 35′, 54′, Chilwell 77′
Pierre Sage (Crystal Palace)
Source: BBC Match of the Day, “What Sage and Mitchell said”, 5 September 2026
Q: How do you assess the win?
The fans give us their best whenever they are with us. We need points, and the strength the fans give us is important. The result is positive but I am aware of the game, but sometimes it is like this, you have to take the points. We didn’t play as we expected, I’m happy but disappointed for the other team and the coach because they had opportunities [to win] too. I am not happy with the way we defended, we have a lot of things to move. The confidence from this result can help us. It’s like with a car, when you put petrol inside you can drive.
5/12 · Identity level fed: Safety
Sage is generous to Fulham and honest that Palace did not defend as expected. He recognises the supporters’ strength and sees the result as fuel for confidence. The criticism remains broad, however, and no player or team SQA is named to balance it. ‘We have a lot of things to move’ gives only a vague path, so the win does less for the team’s Identity than it could.
Matchweek 4
Crystal Palace 2–3 Ipswich Town
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace: 9/12
“We came back in the game by playing and being together.”
Sage reminds Palace’s players how they responded after the sending-off. They changed to a 5-3-1, worked to limit space and stayed in the game through their football and togetherness. He gives them reasons to take confidence from a defeat.
He treats the red card and the mistake before half-time as particular events, rather than signs that the team is poor. The chance to take a 3–2 lead also shows how close Palace came to a different result. More detail about the players’ strengths and what to work on next would make this stronger. The reassurance is useful, while the route forward is less clear.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 1 · Good Loser* 1
Source: BBC Match of the Day interview, carried by Yahoo News
Matchweek 5
Leeds United 0–0 Crystal Palace
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace: 12/12
“I’m really proud of the performance of the player and their commitment.”
“Maybe we deserve better, but I remember that our keeper make a big save after the goal cancelled. That’s why in football, you have the opportunity, you have to score.”
“It was the first for us, but we took a lot of goals during the first four games, that was not normal, so we change the things in our session, we work on this, and I think we saw the effect today.”
“When the player gives their best, at the end it’s only football, and everybody can miss a situation. The most important thing is to create a lot, and I think it was our case.”
“We feel better in our team. We will play as we choose to play. We defend better as we defended before, and that’s the first step. Now we have to take more points.”
Sage connects the first league clean sheet to deliberate work in training. Commitment, chance creation and improved defending are evidence that the team is moving in the direction it chose.
He accepts the offside law and remembers the goalkeeper’s big save, which keeps the draw balanced. “That’s the first step” prevents the progress becoming inflated. The next outcome is more points, supported by a clear path of defending and attacking together.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Draw 2
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Crystal Palace 3–1 Nottingham Forest
Sunday 11 October 2026, Selhurst Park, London.
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace: 12/12
Identity level: Belonging and Capability.
It’s not normal to concede too many chances as we conceded today. We had a problem in the first half, especially in the area of Ndoye. We have to be more efficient in one-vs-one situations when we defend.
I think he kept us in the game, and that was really important at this moment.
And I think the third one is more or less in the same way. That’s why this team is able to play – and we need to be as consistent as we were in Leeds.
I want to underline one thing: they [the players] give their life on the pitch and sometimes it’s a good way to win too.
First league win at Palace and the first thing Sage talks about is where it went wrong: the first half, Ndoye’s side of the pitch, one against one when they defend. A full-back can do something with that on Tuesday. Next to it he puts something that won’t run out, this team is able to play, and he uses the Leeds performance to prove it. He gives the reserve goalkeeper the credit for keeping them in the game and says the players give their life on the pitch. That’s a good winner. He takes the confidence that comes with a win and uses it to tell them what to do better. Twelve out of twelve.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 2 · 12/12
Sources: Sky Sports and Crystal Palace FC.
Matchweek 7
Brighton and Hove Albion 5 – 0 Crystal Palace
Sunday 18 October 2026, 2pm, American Express Stadium.
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace
6/12. Identity level: Safety.
“It’s difficult to summarise as there are lots of negative points in the performance. We started really bad. Completely not normal to behind by three in nine minutes. I prepare the team, I’m responsible. I have a lot of work to do. I have to change this kind of thing. I don’t create the conditions for the players to start well. The first work is on me.”
“It’s in the preparation and the way we give them motivation to start the game in the locker room or the warm-up. We have to analyse that because it’s not normal. It’s not the first time so we have to change with the players. I have to take decisions about that. I will talk with my staff about that. We have to improve.”
“Only one feeling – shame. When you play this kind of game you have to show another face. It was our worst face.”
“We cannot accept that, especially at the beginning of the game. We didn’t fight at that moment. Once it was 3-0 after nine minutes, the game was really different.”
Sage takes the whole thing on himself. I prepare the team, I’m responsible, the first work is on me. That earns him the Path mark, because the warm-up and the pre-match motivation is a specific thing he says he will change, and he admits it isn’t the first time. The self-blame doesn’t let the players off, though. We didn’t fight at that moment and it was our worst face both land squarely on them, and he names no strength anywhere to set against it, so SQAs is 0 and Adversity gets one half at best. Only one feeling, shame, is what the dressing room is left with.
Sources: Sky Sports and beIN Sports.
Matchweek 8
Crystal Palace 0 – 2 Newcastle United
Sunday 25 October 2026, 2.00pm, Selhurst Park.
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace
Score: 5/12. Identity level: None reached.
It’s difficult to explain because after the second goal we conceded, the energy came back in the team, we were able to run, we were able to fight, we were able to play forward. we have too much lag between the minute 45 to minute 60 and that’s why we lose today.
You know in this situation in this period we have to be perfect in all the games in the full games and it was not the case during 15 minutes and that’s sufficient for our opponent to win today.
No, I think we started as we wanted we were in the game plan we have the chances in first half and we prevent all the of the try to do defensively it was not really exciting to watch I think but it was what we decided to do today but during the 15th first minute of the second half, it was crazy to play like this and to hold the initiative to our opponent
Today, I don’t think it’s defensive. I think it’s mental. Because when we came back on the pitch after the halftime, we let too much thing in the dressing room, and that’s not only defensively, because in the second goal, we make a little mistake. We recover the goal, we give it back to the opponent, and we have a lack of aggression in the… in front of the box and they play on our left and they cross after that and we are not in the cutback crossback yeah and there’s tactical but first of all i think it’s mental because after a little mistake as we did we don’t have to to lose the ball a second time
It’s always the same. You know, when we lose, we speak about that today, I think the players and all the staff have created the condition to compete and we missed 15 minutes and okay the consequence is really bad, really bad for me because there’s a lot of noise about that but first of all it’s bad for the team and we have to be aware that we need points that We need to be perfect in our game, we don’t have to let too much space to have too much opportunity and today we miss only 15 minutes, but it’s too much when we are in our situation.
The noise is the noise, you know, but inside there’s no noise for the moment. We’ll see you next time.
Sage cannot say what went wrong and he admits as much. It is difficult to explain, and then he settles on it being mental. That places the problem with the players themselves and gives them nothing practical they can do about it. If he is right and the problem is mental, his position in the PMR table suggests this may be a reflection of the language he uses with the players.
The fifteen minutes are tightly limited and that is the one thing working in his favour, though nothing says the trouble is Fleeting.
The language looking forward is all Away From. Be perfect in every game, do not leave space, do not lose the ball a second time after a mistake. Perfection is not a standard a squad in trouble can act on, and he does not name a single strength they can rely on next week.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
Tottenham Hotspur 2 – 0 Crystal Palace
Saturday 31 October 2026, 5.30pm, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London.
Pierre Sage, Crystal Palace
Score: 10/12. Identity level: Safety & Capability.
Pierre, I guess, if you don’t mind, we need to start with the turning point of the match. The red card, do you have any complaints with the decision?
No, because I think the decision is normal. We missed a pass and the kicker touched the player where we cannot touch him. He’s not willing, I think, but he didn’t see him and made this foul. That’s why the red card came and I have nothing to comment because I think it’s normal.
Obviously, no intent, but it changes the game so dramatically. How frustrating is that for you in terms of your game plan for tonight?
The scenario changed and we chose to be more compact and to let the ball to the opponent. We took this first goal on set pieces, but there were some little chances before. And during the half-time, we took the objective to stay like this until minute 75. But we took the second goal, minute 74. That’s why this plan cannot exist too.
It’s so hard. I mean, as a coach, do you feel like what more can you do in this situation?
I’m the first who can help the team. That’s why for sure I have things to do. And I try to make the plan to come back after minute 75 with substitution and speed because we wanted to come back in this game and hopefully it was not as we expected. But I’m the first responsible of the thing. That’s why I have to find solutions.
In terms of your feeling around the club, do you feel like you deserve a bit more time to try and turn the results around?
It’s not me to define this kind of thing, but you can trust in me. I will be on the pitch on Monday and push the player to win against Hoffenheim and Liverpool because we need points.
And just finally, do you feel like you have the tools, the squad in terms of their technical ability as well as their mental attitudes to kind of get this season going?
You know, I always do with the player we have and I have to respect them. I think it’s not a problem of level. It’s a problem of performance for the moment. And I think as a team, we can be better as we were today, especially with the ball. We have things to move. If I consider this kind of thing, I’m a loser and I don’t want to be a guy like this.
The best sentence Sage gives his players is that it isn’t a problem of level, it’s a problem of performance for the moment. A side in the bottom three with the worst goal difference in the division has just been told that the thing which is wrong is Fleeting and that the thing which is Lasting, how good they are, is fine. That is a lot of work for one sentence.
He also refuses the two excuses sitting in front of him. The red card he calls normal with nothing to comment, so the sent-off player isn’t carrying the night, and the second goal coming a minute before his planned substitutions he mentions and leaves there. The decision to sit deeper he puts on himself. Where he is thin is on the players themselves. No SQA of theirs is named at all, and the fix, being better with the ball, is the right area without being an action.
Source: Crystal Palace.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.