Oliver Glasner struck just the right note in his press conference after leading Crystal Palace to FA Cup glory on Saturday, speaking mostly of the supporters and what the club’s greatest-ever day had done for “tens of thousands of south Londoners”.
But when he did choose to speak about his own players, he homed in on the “togetherness” they have forged during his 15 months in charge. This is, Glasner made expressly clear, a special group.
Why, then, must that bond fracture this summer? There is no reason it has to. There has been much talk that some of Palace’s best players could be targeted for big moves, but Saturday can be a game-changer for the club that stops star names feeling they have to leave to fulfil their ambitions.
For the best part of a year, the vultures have been circling for some of Palace’s finest talent.
England starlet Adam Wharton is being monitored by Manchester City, and has been linked with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Manchester United are among the clubs keeping a close eye on striker Jean-Philippe Mateta as well as on the livewire wing-back Daniel Munoz.
Newcastle pushed hard but failed to sign centre-back Marc Guehi last summer. They, and others, remain interested in the England player, who is still expected to be sold this summer as he enters the final year of his contract and with no prospect of signing a new deal.
And Palace’s talismanic attacker Eberechi Eze is 26 and entering his peak, having scored the winner at Wembley.
Palace have been expecting a battle to keep Eze this summer, just as they could have with any or all of their key assets.
But FA Cup glory, and what it brings, can and should change things.
Palace will be in the Europa League next season and have some big European nights to look forward to.
As Glasner admitted himself, that prospect makes the club “more attractive” to potential signings this summer, but it ought to have the same effect on the men who, if offers arrive, might be weighing up leaving Palace in search of bigger and better.
Guehi, it must be said, it still likely to depart, but optimistic Palace fans will hope the last 48 hours might have forced a U-turn in his thinking.
He suits the left centre-back role in Glasner’s system so well and, if he sticks around, would likely become full-time captain once Joel Ward leaves this summer.
Guehi feels, at the moment, an almost-certain starter for England and moving to a new club a year before the World Cup would represent somewhat of a risk. Time will tell whether he can be convinced to stay.
The others were already in a different camp: prized assets rather than poised to leave.
After their late-night party on Saturday and next week’s trophy parade, Wharton, Eze, Mateta and Munoz will surely be minded to stay put for at least another year.
This would not be a case of merely putting their personal ambitions on hold just to keep the band together a little while longer.
Rather, if Palace players are to take seriously what chairman Steve Parish so keenly desires and “match the ambition” of their intensely competitive head coach, they should view their Europa League adventure as another big opportunity to win silverware, just as the Community Shield against Liverpool will be on August 9.
Glasner was right when he said on the eve of the final that reaching Wembley need not be the end for this talented crop but rather just the start. Even more so, that is the case now.
If the “togetherness” within Palace’s squad is as strong as Glasner insists it is, it will be enduring. Palace are entering new and enchanting waters; this is no time to jump ship.
