Oliver Glasner Shares Bold Plan to ‘Clear Out and Move On’ After Celebrating with Palace Legends Over a Few Beers

THERE were many defining pictures from Wednesday night.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and his team-mates performing his iconic kicking celebration in unison.

Oliver Glasner slid on his belly in front of his players Credit: Alamy He made a poignant bow to the Crystal Palace fans next to the Conference League trophy Credit: AFP

Dean Henderson .

But the two standouts both centred around .

Firstly, his brilliant belly slide down a guard of honour of his adoring heroes.

Secondly, the Austrian bowing to all three sides of celebrating supporters next to the latest piece of silverware he has delivered for this club.

The .

But despite a hat-trick of trophies in 13 months, Glasner’s mind is set.

The curtain has come down and he is exiting stage left.

There is to be no romantic U-turn to extend his Selhurst Park fairytale and no .

Glasner has transformed Steve Parish’s football club and departs as a Selhurst Park legend Credit: Getty

Instead, he plans to thoroughly enjoy this victory and take some time to reflect on what he has achieved in South London, having already turned down multiple job offers.

Glasner, 51, said: “I received many messages from fans saying thank you for the best day of their life. I really appreciate it.

“But I have to say thank you to the players and supporters because it was also an incredible day for me and for my family here in Leipzig.

“I am quite good at letting loose, and that is what I will do with the players.

“We will celebrate, drink a few beers and fly back to London a little hungover, then I will clear out my flat and go back to my family.

“I had no desire and no energy to think about anything else or to speak with anyone about another club because the boys deserved 100 per cent of Oliver Glasner.

“There is also a little melancholy feeling. I really had not thought beyond the final until kick-off.

“Now this is it, it really is over. All of that came up in that moment.”

Eagles fans may be split on the greatest day in their 121-year history: May 17, 2025 or May 27, 2026.

They are not split on the club’s greatest manager: the man who delivered both the FA Cup and Conference League triumphs.

Glasner repeatedly referenced “tasting the honey” and his squad wanting more of the sweet stuff after the Wembley win a year ago.

They have certainly indulged.

It is a far cry from February 2024, when Glasner arrived with Palace just five points above the relegation zone and this journey was unthinkable.

The ex-Frankfurt boss, though, changed the mindset in SE25 and has made everyone at Crystal Palace believe.

He added: “Of course, we did not say a single word about winning a cup or playing in Europe. That was so far away.

“I just guided this group. I cannot do anything alone.

“I could be the best magician but it would not work without the players. They deserve all the credit.

“I see myself as a servant for the players, a servant for the club.”

Glasner made no secret of his willingness to have frank conversations with his players and boss but it was always with the best intentions of helping Crystal Palace succeed.

The mutual love and appreciation is evident.

Chairman Steve Parish said: “We always knew the journey would be a limited time.

“We’re lucky Oliver came to our club for the time that he did.

“He’ll always have a special place in the hearts of all Crystal Palace fans. We get on really well, I hope we remain friends.”

Captain added: “It’s a fairytale. This is the way the manager deserves to go.

“The last two years have been phenomenal and we’ll look back with fond memories.

“I said every good movie deserves a happy ending and we’ve got that.”

And Will Hughes’ message provides a fitting full stop to the glorious Glasner era.

The midfielder concluded: “There’s many of us – fans, people at the club, players – that didn’t think it was possible to do what we’ve done and he ultimately gave us the belief to go and achieve that.

“All we can say is thank you.”