As the 2016 FA Cup Final clicked over into extra time in front of almost 90,000 at Wembley Stadium, the suited Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew stood in his technical area hollering instructions.
Wearing a blue rose on his chest, he’d been on his feet animated for almost the entire game, dancing with the misplaced confidence of an uncle at a family function when his side took the lead after 78 minutes.
Pardew was said to be supremely confident of victory, of his side rising to the big occasion. He planned to keep things tight for an hour and then go for it.
His plan nearly worked, but he cursed as Juan Mata levelled three minutes later after an inspired run by United’s captain Wayne Rooney. Pardew is a showman who contested decisions very visibly as he lived the game he’d played in 26 years previously kick-by-kick.
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Five metres to his left, the track suited and slighter frame of Ryan Giggs stood watching the game with equal intensity. His boss Louis van Gaal prefers his assistants to sit close to him and his clip board, which was well used as United finished the game with six players playing outside their best positions.
Long before that time, Giggs had strode forward from the bench to communicate and get closer to the action. Giggs would like to replace Van Gaal as United manager – and that was the club’s plan to happen in 2017. A poor season means speculation about Van Gaal’s exit has been intense since a dismal December run.
The club are clear about Giggs’ ambitions and have listened closely to him and how the development of youth is core to the future of United. If United lose that, Giggs reckons, the club will become like any other.
Will they appoint Giggs if, or when, they change Van Gaal? The club’s record appearance holder is not the favourite to replaces his boss, not with fans or the BBC, who reported at the match’s conclusion that Jose Mourinho. He is, however, with United’s players including Rooney.
Amid six months of constant speculation, nobody, it seems, apart from Ed Woodward, knows what will happen. Giggs has been criticised for not being active enough this season, for sitting on the bench with the 1000-yard stare of a shell-shocked First World War Tommy as United fail to impress week after week, but he doesn’t want to go against his boss, feeling his job is to support. Whatever, Giggs’ stock has been damaged.
As the FA Cup final moved into a second period of extra time, it was Giggs instructing the fans to raise their game, Rooney to change position and encouraging Anthony Martial as 10 men United sought to win a joint record 12th FA Cup. Did United consolidate and hold out for penalties? Or push forward for a win with a man missing? Giggs shouted for Michael Carrick, who charged forward and headed wide.
After 110 minutes on a dank grey north west London afternoon, United took the lead for the first time when Jesse Lingard, a player who’s been with United since the age of seven, half volleyed the ball past Wayne Hennessey at the end where 31,000 United fans stood.
As the players celebrated, Giggs was soon joined by Van Gaal and fellow coach Albert Stuivenberg in celebration. Whether any of the trio will still be at the club when the squad reconvenes at the start of July ahead of two game pre-season games in China hangs in the balance.
But for one evening in May, they deserved to enjoy the moment as United won a first trophy for three years at the end of an FA Cup run which has shone light into a dark season.
Fans didn’t sing Van Gaal’s name and there were even some boos when he strode forward to lift the cup near the end, but they were outweighed by loud cheers when Lucky Louis lifted his first trophy in England. If it’s to be his last game, a man who has been a great manager – if not at United in two years – can leave with dignity and a smile.
Giggs? The 42-year-old’s future at a club he’s been at since he was 13 is very uncertain.
“It has been too long,” said a beaming Giggs of the first FA Cup win since 2004. Indeed.
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