American Owner John Textor Insists He Had No Decisive Influence Over the Club

Crystal Palace, the FA Cup winners, are facing the threat of being demoted to the Conference League by European football’s governing body, Uefa. The club is awaiting Uefa’s decision on whether they can compete in next season’s Europa League, amidst concerns over American owner John Textor’s influence over the team.

Textor, a 58-year-old American businessman, has made a name for himself in the world of football with his investments in various clubs, including Crystal Palace, Lyon, and Botafogo. He is known for his ambitious plans to expand his football empire, but his methods have raised eyebrows in the football community.

Textor, who made his fortune in the technology industry, acquired a majority stake in Crystal Palace in 2022. He has since invested heavily in the club, including a reported £100 million to pay off the club’s debts. However, his influence over the club has been a subject of controversy, with some critics accusing him of trying to exert too much control over the team’s affairs.

Textor has insisted that he didn’t have a decisive influence at Crystal Palace, claiming that he only provided financial support to the club during the Covid-19 pandemic and helped to finish the academy. However, Uefa sources have indicated that the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) is due to decide on Palace’s fate this week, suggesting that Textor’s influence may have been more significant than he claims.

The issue at hand is that clubs are barred from competing in the same Uefa competition if an individual or ownership group is considered to have a decisive influence over more than one of those teams. Textor recently agreed to sell his Palace shares to the New York Jets owner, Woody Johnson, a deal that is expected to be ratified by the Premier League in the coming days.

Textor has rejected reports that he had told the CFCB that he had been instrumental in the decision to hire Oliver Glasner as Palace’s manager last year. He claims that he only suggested Glasner to the club’s sporting director, Dougie Freedman, and that the final decision was made by Chairman Steve Parish.

The situation has become increasingly complex, with Textor attempting to take full control of Palace two weeks before the FA Cup final against Manchester City. However, he claims that Parish had been given a “stay of execution” after he failed to agree a deal to buy the 36% stake owned by fellow Americans Josh Harris and David Blitzer.

As Uefa’s decision looms, Textor has expressed his frustration with the lack of collaboration between him and the club’s management. He claims that he had hoped to take Palace to the next level, but was scuppered by Uefa’s rules on multi-club ownership.

Textor’s ownership of multiple clubs has raised concerns about his commitment to the sport. He is also the owner of Botafogo, a Brazilian club that has been plagued by financial problems. His ownership of Lyon has also been marred by controversy, with the club facing a possible relegation to Ligue 2 after failing to comply with Uefa’s financial regulations.

The outcome of this situation will have significant implications for Crystal Palace’s future in European competitions. If Uefa decides that Textor’s influence is too significant, the club may be banned from participating in the Europa League next season.