As Crystal Palace prepare for their biggest European night in club history, defender Jaydee Canvot has opened up about the mental transformation that has fueled his rise—and revealed how departing manager Oliver Glasner has been the driving force behind it.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's Europa Conference League semi-final second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk, Canvot was asked whether Glasner's impending summer exit could derail the team's focus. His answer was emphatic: the squad is locked in on the task at hand.

"We don't talk about this," Canvot said with conviction. "The gaffer chose his future. We just stay on the moment, on the present. We don't say, 'oh, next year the gaffer is not here'—no. We stay focused on the present."

The young centre-back's loyalty to Glasner runs deep. It was the Austrian manager who convinced Canvot to join Palace in the first place, and the bond has only strengthened over the season. "He helped me a lot. He helped the team a lot. This was my first year here, and I came because he was there," Canvot explained. "Every time he takes a club, he's done good before."

But the most significant impact, Canvot says, hasn't been on tactics or technique—it's been mental. In a sport where physical gifts are abundant, the 21-year-old believes the mind is what separates good from great.

"It's not about football, because we're all good players," Canvot said. "He helped me a lot about my mind, about mentality to stay focused every time. I think he's the best. The best part about a player is his mind and his mentality. He just changed it and said, 'if you want to become a good player, you have to do this, this and this.' After that, it's on me. I have to do it."

As Palace prepare for a night that could define their season, Canvot's words serve as a reminder that in football, the strongest muscle is often the one between the ears. For any athlete looking to elevate their game, that's a lesson worth wearing on your sleeve—and your kit.