Former Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has admitted that he regrets throwing the wildest forms in 2016 in the Eagles’ 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the FA Cup final.
Substitute Jason Puncheon increased Palace 1-0 in the 78th minute of the game, and while the fans went wild, Pardew turned to the camera and gave us a few seconds of the finest daddy dance you’ve ever seen.
Here’s the match itself, as Jesse Lingard got Alan Pardews dancing to the second most spectacular #FACup moment of the day … #mufc https://t.co/pmFJ9Qpc2s pic.twitter.com/jc61YeNgnM
Today’s match (@BBCMOTD) 21 May 2020
The moment was iconic enough, but it hit a whole new level in meme history after Juan Mata equalized for United just two minutes later, after which a Jesse Lingard strike won the cup in extra time.
It was an absolutely perfect series of events, but when he spoke to FourFourTwo (via the Daily Mail), Pardew admitted that he would like to turn the clocks back and keep his silky movements to himself.
“Running to the cup final was fantastic. But then I had to make the terrible decision to put Jason Puncheon on the bench,” he recalls. “He was so disappointed, but I do not think he realized that I was too. I love him as a person, but we wanted to counter something in Manchester United’s team.
Pardew is currently stuck Paul Gilham / Getty Images
“I said, as all bosses would say, ‘You’re coming again – go and show me when you go on. “When he gave us 1-0, it was right now.
I’m sorry about the dance. My daughter had said “There’s this new dance”, and it must have been in my head! I would never have done it – people remember it unfortunately – but it was a brilliant moment for Punch, and I had known him. “
On behalf of the entire football world, I think Pardew should have done the dance.
Palace game in brief | Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
Just six months after his little boogie, Pardew danced out the front door at Selhurst Park, and after a brief spell responsible for West Brom, Pardew took his talents to Europe.
Some overwhelming months as head of the Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag followed and in 2020 he made the surprise to the Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia, who offered him the position as technical manager.
For more from Tom Gott, follow him on Twitter!
