Por Owen Whines 
Few English football players have left an impression as enduring as Emmanuel Pogatetz. Affectionately dubbed by Teessiders as ‘Mad Dog’, Pogatetz was renowned for his fearless tackling and larger-than-life personality, alongside a rare blend of grit and passion that resonated deeply with fans. His affection to English football was evident even off the pitch – famously captured in the 2008 Match annual, where he proudly displayed a Union Jack painted on the roof of his Mini Cooper. Nearly two decades after his notable spell at Middlesborough, Pogatetz has rekindled his connection with English football as part of Crystal Palace coaching staff under the leadership of fellow Austrian Oliver Glasner.
Pogatetz has certainly had his fair share of high-profile moments. At 22, the former centre-half arrived at Middlesbrough in 2005 under a cloud of controversy, having been given a 24-week worldwide ban for a tackle during his time on loan at Spartak Moscow. Whilst the tackle resulted in a double leg fracture for Russian Yaroslav Kharitonskiy, Pogatetz’s sentence was reduced to eight weeks and meant only 3 matches were missed by the Austrian. Pogatetz quickly became a cult figure on Teeside, renowned for his physicality and commitment. His hard-man reputation was cemented during a UEFA Cup clash against Basel in 2006, where Pogatetz broke his nose, jaw and cheekbones in a brutal clash of heads.
A fiery character, Pogatetz’s career was also marked by disciplinary struggles, highlighted by 20 bookings within his first two seasons at Middlesbrough. This trait culminated in a reckless challenge on Manchester United’s Rodrigo Possebon which resulted in Possebon being stretchered from the pitch and Sir Alex Ferguson left ‘numb’ from the event. The Austrian received a red card and a three-match ban. Yet, Pogatetz’s resilience often overshadowed his controversies – notably in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, where he played through a head injury requiring stitches at halftime.
In the twilight of his career, Pogatetz crossed paths with Oliver Glasner at LASK, where he spent two seasons under his management. In 2019, Pogatetz transitioned into coaching, serving as an assistant to Dominik Thalhammer, following Glasner’s departure. After holding several coaching roles across Austria, Pogatetz embarked on a new chapter, joining Crystal Palace’s coaching staff at Selhurst Park in 2023.
Together with Glasner, Pogatetz has brought a tactical revolution to Crystal Palace, introducing a high-intensity 3-4-2-1 formation. This approach focuses on pressing aggressively, reducing opposition passing opportunities, and creating turnovers to launch counterattacks. By the end of the 2023/24 season, Palace’s pressing game had yielded impressive results, with an 18% increase in pressures and their passes-per-defensive-action (PPDA) dropping to 12.4—just behind Manchester City’s league-low of 12. A revitalised Crystal Palace finished the season with 6 wins and a draw from their last 7 games.
Since the start of the 24/25 season, Palace’s form has been indifferent. This is largely due to the loss of two key players – Michael Olise, arguably a Champions League-level winger and Joachim Andersen, a key defensive leader. Poor recruitment in the summer to replace these players has seen a decline in both defensive performance and attacking output.
Despite these setbacks, one bright spot of Palace’s start to the season has been the signing of Maxence Lacroix from VfL Wolfsburg. The cultured Frenchman is both a tough tackler and an effective passer, averaging 3 possessive passes per 90. Notching up the 5th highest top speed of any player in the Bundesliga last season, Lacroix is also an explosive player allowing him to get back quickly and sweep up danger. Lacroix has settled nicely into the defensive line and won Palace’s Player of the Month for October. Having taken time to settle into forward defending and man-to-man pressing, Palace and Lacroix have improved, especially in their 1-0 victory over Tottenham. Spurs lost possession 49 times in build-up play – the worst metric for any single-game result in the league at the time, proving the benefits of pressing and underscoring the effectiveness of Pogatetz’s tactical influence.
Pogatetz’s physical approach has deeply influenced his coaching philosophy. Former Middlesborough manager Steve McClaren once joked that Pogatetz ‘kills half the team’ in training, a testament to his intensity. This mentality has translated to his work with defenders, who are trained to combine physicality with discipline in tight spaces. At Palace, English international centre-back Marc Guehi has thrived under this system, leading the league in headed clearances and ranking amongst the top percentile in aerial duels won.
A strong advocate of Nach-Vorne-Verteidigens or ‘Forward Defending’, Pogatetz encourages defenders to hold a high starting position to aggressively attack passes, pressure opponents early, and win the ball while advancing. This disruptive style creates immediate opportunities for counterattacks while denying opponents time to regroup. Palace’s wingbacks, Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell, embody these qualities. Both balance defensive solidity with offensive contributions, making them ideal for this high-energy system. Muñoz ranks 3rd among defenders for tackles made, while Mitchell sits within the top 15, both excelling in high recovery rates that drive Palace’s rapid transitions.
Pogatetz also places high regard on the technical aspects of a defender, a belief he voiced during his time at Middlesbrough, stating that players at a high level must ‘play football’. This philosophy is evident in Palace’s current approach, which relies on defenders’ ability to execute long cross-field or through balls to break defensive lines. A perfect example came in Palace’s draw to Aston Villa, where Marc Guehi delivered a precise through ball to break open the Villa midfield, leading to an early goal for Ismaila Sarr.
Emmanuel Pogatetz’s journey from the hard-tackling defender known as ‘Mad Dog’ to the forward-thinking coach at Crystal Palace reflects on both his evolution and enduring passion for football. Under the guidance of Oliver Glasner, Pogatetz has helped instil a high-intensity, proactive system at Selhurst Park, emphasizing pressing, high-line defending and technical ability. Just as he left a lasting impression on Teesside, Pogatetz’s love affair with English football continues, now from the sidelines, as he helps shape the next chapter for Crystal Palace.