Working toward a sale and "sell if someone came in with the right price " is a bit different though. If he is planning to sell (which a businessman like him would do, not just hang around hoping a buyer turns up) he won't trash the club - why trash something you want to sell - but he won't be arsed about selling our favourite players like Tiote, Enrique etc as long as we have competent enough, young, cheap players to replace them. It all depends on the time frame he's given Pardew but if decent bids come in for any of our players in the summer don't think for a minute they won't be sold. The quicker the money can be raised the quicker he can be off. Let's face it, he can't be enjoying it anymore, it'll be time for a new toy for him once he sells us.
I don't think selling all our good players is in his interests either though, the more successful NUFC is the better it is for him.
Anyway, don't want to turn this into another Ashley debate thread, I have no idea what's going on in the bloke's head.