In a great team effort to win Crystal Palace’s third trophy in 12 months, one player stood out. By STEVEN DOWNES
In control: Palace’s Adam Wharton gave a masterful display in the Conference League final in Leipzig last night
Adam Wharton is 22 years old.
Last night in Leipzig, he produced a performance that places him firmly among the best midfielders in Europe, a string-pulling display on the major stage of a European final. his passing, tackles, interceptions, seamless transitions from defence into attack with 40-yard defence-splitting balls, providing the masterclass upon which Crystal Palace won the UEFA Conference League final.
It was Wharton’s left-foot shot from 20 yards, early in the second half, which set up Jean-Philippe Mateta for the only goal of the match. Though Palace ought to have beaten Rayo Vallecano by more. Wharton’s deliveries from set-pieces, corners and free-kicks, were often misdirected wide of the woodwork.
A week earlier, Wharton had been omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the World Cup. Last night, intentionally or otherwise, was Wharton’s response. But if anyone needed motivation for playing in a European final, Wharton had it by the bucket-load.
Wharton had taken the stage and used Palace’s European night to deliver a bravura performance that highlighted his omission. Tuchel had found places in his squad for Donkey Dan Burn, for ageing Jordan Henderson (he’ll be 36 during the tournament) and for recalled Ivan Toney.
Yet not for the “Wilpshire Pirlo” (Wharton’s from a village near Blackburn) , a player also compared with other greats such as Tony Kroos, Manuel Ugarte and, yes, Declan Rice. Was Tuchel concerned that Wharton is too similar to the Arsenal midfielder?
Both Rice and Wharton, and Pirlo before them, have shown how to dominate the middle of the park, breaking down threatening moves by the opposition and pivoting the play to set up their own teammates. “An 8 playing as a 6,” as described by football journalist doyen Henry Winter.
“The ball looks for Wharton,” Winter said mid-match last night.
Wharton’s omission from the World Cup squad had been less highlighted than the absences of Cole Palmer or Phil Foden, but the UEFA Conference League final display reminded punters and pundits alike what England will be missing. A BBC online poll today has 89% of responders saying that the Palace playmaker ought to be going to the World Cup.
Star performer: Adam Wharton interviewed after the Conference League final, where he was named man of the match
Glenn Hoddle ended Paul Gascoigne’s international career when he left the 31-year-old, the star of Italia 90, out of his England squad for the 1998 World Cup. So Hoddle, who was at the wrong end of too many England omissions in his own career, understands more than most the importance of squad selections.
“I would have had him in the squad. He is a wonderful footballer,” Hoddle said.
“He is a top professional. He could easily play for England…
“I love the way he looks forward and passes. He can hit killer balls, balls that take the whole defence out with one pass.
“I am not sure we have got that many who can do that from a deep-lying position on a consistent level. So definitely my eyebrows went up when I saw he wasn’t there.”
Wharton, of course, was named man of the match last night. Nobody had more touches than him in the game and nobody made more passes into the final third. Yet there had been concerns in the days before the match that Wharton was carrying an injury and might not start.
In the event, Wharton played despite the pain.
“I’ve pretty much had my foot in an ice box the past couple of days, just trying to get the swelling down,” Wharton said of his ankle injury.
He even reckoned it compromised his performance. “To be fair, I couldn’t really shoot properly. It wasn’t very comfortable, but I’m not going to miss a final for a little swollen ankle.” Which sounds just the kind of player who is indispensable at a major international tournament.
In a newspaper profile two years ago, when Wharton was in the England squad for the Euros, he was described as “laconic, unpretentious, seemingly impossible to ruffle, faze or flap”. To that can be added “much-wanted”.
Because if Wharton is surplus to requirements for Tuchel’s England, he’s high on the summer shopping list for some of the world’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United.
Mum’s the word: Adam Wharton’s mother, Helen Wharton (right) mixing with Palace fans before the match
Can Palace, without Oliver Glasner or, for that matter, influential director of football Dougie Freedman, keep Wharton at Selhurst Park?
In Leipzig city centre yesterday afternoon, a group of Palace fans were enjoying a not-so-quiet pilsner, and singing a few songs, including something along the lines of “just one more year”. They were singing Adam Wharton’s name.
And joining them, in her own red and blue Palace shirt, was Helen Wharton, Adam’s PE teacher mum.
“Adam Wharton! Just one more year!” sang Helen.
Eagles fans must hope that, for Adam Wharton, mother knows best.
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