These post-match speeches from Oliver Glasner and Joel Ward – right from the heart of Crystal Palace’s dressing room at Wembley Stadium after their FA Cup triumph – are not to be missed.
Every word from Glasner & Ward’s post-match victory speeches
How do you begin to sum up how you feel about the group with whom you have just made history?
Oliver Glasner
I’ve nothing prepared, and I still can't believe guys that you have done it, that we have done it. So first of all congratulations for this big, big achievement.
Quite often I'm not talking about football, and this is maybe the moment and then I let the party go and start… we talked about it. I don't know when I said to the staff we should print the picture of winning the trophy… was it before Doncaster? [Stockport!] Before the first game, really? Stockport, a great 1-0 win at home against Stockport, this is how we started.
I don't know. I think I don't have many talents, but one I have, I think, and it's just given from somebody, is I get a feeling for a group. I get a feeling for a group, and I got the feeling and I told it a few times to you, and then it was really very dominant when we were in Marbella, my feeling was: guys, we can achieve big things.
And from that moment when I felt it, I told you, because it makes no sense if I feel it and Will [Hughes] says “well, gaffer, come on, we never win anything”! Guys, that was my feeling, and then it started, and it's all what you have done, all what you have done: always working hard, sticking together, and today again – difficult decisions to take, and everybody accepted them for the team.
This was my feeling from day number one, and then we got the reward and you especially for winning the trophy.
The second thing is also for me, what I'm telling you a few times, is maybe in 20 years or in 30 years, when you are my age and I'm already hopefully then playing golf, at 80 [years], you will remember guys, and this is a message just for you, for us: if you invest in something, you get something back guys, and really big credit to all of you, not just to you in the players, to the whole staff, I think Steve the Chairman, the other owners, to all guys, everybody…
How much you invested, and I know I demand a lot from you, I demand a lot, but you invested, and now we get the reward, we get the return.
If you take this for your life, if you invest in something – in sports and family and friendship and whatever guys, then you get the return, and today we got it, and again I'm very proud, guys, to be the manager of such an amazing group.
It's really easy to manage because you are so great guys, so great characters, and that's why we won this trophy: great talents, great guys, great group, so now guys enjoy a big party.
Next time meeting… this is what Will [Hughes] is waiting for guys: Monday afternoon! Monday afternoon, guys!
I had to suffer too much today, we have to meet on Monday afternoon! You will get the time! One more point [in the Premier League], you’ll get two days [off]! It’s ‘I give you a card, you want the whole hand’!
But, this is really okay, and then before starting [the celebrations], I don't deserve us to have the last words to you as a group – I want, Wardy, you to have the last words before the party starts, because we spoke about it a few weeks ago.
Not because football – football is our job and it's our passion – but you deserve it because you're such a great guy. I didn't give you many minutes, I don't know, the whole season, but everybody could rely on you in every single situation and every single moment, everybody in the group, everybody in the staff, and especially me as a person, so I really appreciate this, and that's why you deserve the last words to the group, with this trophy.
For me personally, this trophy is for our fans, who supported us always even when we had a **** start; it's for the club; and it's also especially for you, Wardy, so that's why you deserve the last words.
Joel Ward
Well, this is on the spot!
Listen, guys, we're all on a journey. Some are at the start of it, some are at the end of it, some have been through it and been out the other side, but for from day one, something that I hold dearly is obviously my faith and in Jeremiah 29:11 it talks about how God has a plan and a purpose for our lives.
You may not believe, you may not look at scripture or you may not have that, but personally I believe that everyone here is here for a reason, and we do all have a plan and a purpose in our lives. It's crazy. I can't write this ending. To lift the trophy in my first season at Palace, and then in my last is something special, but it's down to each and every one of these people and you lads.
You're a special group of guys and I guess all the players before us, and all the players up to now, have reached their ceiling – and our ceiling is your floor, and your foundation to kick on.
I believe, like the gaffer said, this group can achieve incredible things and special things – and yeah, I’ll sign off there.
- WATCH: Access All Over - FA Cup Final!
- Details you might have missed from FA Cup Final day
- Get your Wembley memorabilia ticket now – deadline this Friday!
