Oliver Glasner and Joel Ward’s special 7 minute speech to the team goes viral after Crystal Palace’s FA Cup Final win on Saturday.
Oliver Glasner, in an emotional speech, congratulates his team on their remarkable achievement of winning a trophy, expressing disbelief and pride in their success.
He recalls his early intuition about the group’s potential, felt strongly during a pre-season camp in Marbella, and credits the players and staff for their hard work, unity, and acceptance of tough decisions.
Glasner emphasizes the life lesson that investment—in effort, family, or friendships—yields rewards, as evidenced by their victory.
He praises the team’s character and talents, making his role as manager rewarding, and announces a celebratory party with a humorous note about resuming work on Monday.
Finally, he honours a player, Wardy, for his reliability and character despite limited playing time, dedicating the trophy to the fans, the club, and Wardy, who is given the privilege of delivering the final words to the group.
This is what happened in the changing room after winning the @EmiratesFACup, seven minutes of pure content… 🥰#CPFC pic.twitter.com/opDzZMwYbI
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 20, 2025
Oliver Glasner said:
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 said: 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.
Twitter users reacted as Oliver Glasner and Joel Ward’s speech goes viral after Crystal Palace’s FA Cup Final win…
@BenjiWilson: Incredible. Wardy!!! A long time since we’ve made any physical media, but a Blu-Ray release of the final, with all these before and after bits, would be *chef’s kiss*… 🤞🤞🤞
@AG_Smithy: Truly amazing great bonding of manager staff and players very moving 💙❤️
@brucemillington: Will there ever be a day when Palace don’t have me in tears? ❤️💙
@robelliott_4: Couldn’t love this any more!! OG developing people as well as players. As good as it is to finally win a trophy, I really hope this is the start of a special era. ❤️💙❤️💙🦅
@MikeTeeTea: Can’t believe I watched the whole thing as a non-Palace fan. Thoroughly enjoyable and congratulations to all the Palace fans again!
@JHHolloway97: Our ceiling is your floor got me. I don’t think many palace players before this group would have got in this team, but without them, palace wouldn’t be where they are today, and that’s why some of those will remain in palace folklore. Such a great character is Ward
@BrakePaul: When you see the connection between the manager and players it makes me think why do any of them want to leave.. you aren’t gonna get that at many clubs. ❤️💙
@DaveGroundHops:
Tsamina mina eh eh
Waka waka eh eh
I thought I was done with cries
But ive got to dry my eyes
@BigDazza01:
Guys I’m at work
Tissues again ole ole
@morey28: Jeeeeeeez, man! I’ve just watched this at work & it’s made me a wreck again. Just when you think you’ve got it all out, this comes along! We need at least one more year with this special group & the new additions required for European football & who knows how good it could be.
@Danw0405: He’s not only a quality football manager, but a quality person too. We’re so lucky to have him and I hope he stays as long as it’s possible to keep him.
@Weather40297744: As disappointed as I was that City lost it’s so nice to see a team who don’t normally win trophies win something, you saw how much it meant to the supporters and the players, keep the players you have and add a few more bodies then maybe top 6 is possible next season.
@TomTheProducer1: Congratulations to all the CPFC players, the gaffer, all the backroom staff and the fans. This is an inspirational watch. I’m a LUFC fan, we have a motto: “Side Before Self Every Time”. It’s embodied by you lifting the trophy, millions of football fans shared it with you 👏
@Pablovandali: Bloody hell I’m crying again… 🤣👏💙❤️🦅🙏🏆
@NathanLordUK: “Our ceiling is your floor…” Nice one Wardy, got me all in my feels at 10am😭 #cpfc
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