Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted it is yet to sink in that he will leave the club this summer after guiding them to European glory in Leipzig.
Palace beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the Conference League final to win their third trophy in a year and end Glasner’s remarkable tenure on a high.
‘Right now, I can’t even believe this was the last game,’ Glasner said. ‘I took this decision, it’s a good chapter in the Crystal Palace book.
‘Other gaffers will follow. It’s a one-year delay (getting in the Europa League), but the players get what they deserve. Sometimes you need to take the long round-trip, but now Crystal Palace is where they should be.
‘It means a lot. I say thank you to the players because they always trusted in me and believed what I told them.’
Meanwhile, Adam Wharton pledged to make up for lost time in the celebrations after he was rushed to hospital following last year’s FA Cup final triumph when he was left concussed.
Oliver Glasner admitted it is hard to accept that he is leaving Crystal Palace this summer
‘I missed out on the FA Cup celebrations, so I am definitely going to make up for it this year,’ Wharton said. ‘It’s going to be big. I’ve got two celebrations to catch up on. I’ve got doping (testing), but hopefully I can get that done quickly and get on the beers and alcohol.’
On the departing Glasner, he added: ‘First European competition (for Palace), and we won it. He’s got to be one of the best managers Palace have ever had. He has completely changed the way the club looks at competitions.’
Goal scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta, who came close to leaving the club in January, led the celebrations.
He said: ‘I feel fantastic! I feel fantastic! We did it! First time in Europe, we did it! Now I just want to celebrate, I just want to party.
‘It’s incredible. We did everything. I told you about the intensity we’re going to put. I’m tired right now. I gave everything.’
‘I’m always with them (the fans). They support me as a player a lot, and as a team. They’re always behind us and we did that for them too.’
