FA Cup final: Alan Pardew wants victory 'for English coaches'

Pardew believes that English coaches get a "bad press"

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew wants to win the FA Cup to improve the reputation of English managers.

Manchester United - managed by Dutchman Louis van Gaal - are favourites for Saturday's final against Pardew's side.

If Palace win then Pardew, who is set to sign a new contract, would be only the third English manager to lift the trophy in the Premier League era.

"It will not just be good for me and the club to win it but good for English coaches," said Pardew.

"English coaches and managers get a bad press. As an English manager I'm coming closer than anyone for a long time. It gives me an opportunity to try and win it."

Joe Royle won with Everton in 1995 and Harry Redknapp with Portsmouth in 2008.

No English manager has won the Premier League since it started in 1992. This season was the first time a team led by an Englishman failed to finish in the top half of the table.

As things stand, Pardew will be one of four English men managing top-flight clubs next term - alongside Sunderland's Sam Allardyce, Bournemouth's Eddie Howe and Burnley's Sean Dyche.

Steve Bruce could add to that tally if Hull win the Championship play-off final against Sheffield Wednesday.

The only other notable domestic trophy successes for English bosses during the Premier League era have been in the League Cup; Ron Atkinson and Brian Little with Aston Villa in 1994 and 1996 respectively, Roy Evans with Liverpool in 1995 and Steve McClaren with Middlesbrough in 2004.

Pardew, who expects to extend his contract before Saturday's final, played in the Palace side that lost the 1990 FA Cup final 1-0 to Manchester United in a replayed game after the initial tie finished 3-3.

"I've tried to distance ourselves from 1990 because it's nothing to do with this era," said Pardew.

"It's about this team getting to a cup final and winning. We're not going to drown ourselves in 1990."