Alan Pardew

[BottledDog]

I think they appointed Pardew because he's a media darling, and because he would be a yes-man - counting his lucky chickens that he ever got a gig like Newcastle United. I believe that he was brought in to keep us ticking over on the pitch, and make a bridge between the boardroom and the supporters... until they sold it. I still reckon Pardew was lined up well before Hughton got the boot n'all; either that or it's a total mad coincidence that Golfmag was going on about it two months prior to the sacking.

 

Call that cynical if you want; it probably is, but i refuse to believe that - after sacking Hughton - they (or anyone) believed that Pardew was brought in to take us to the 'next level' (ie, European competition).

 

Fortunately, it's worked out very well and - with the foundation of an excellent scouting network - Pardew has turned into an excellent appointment not only from a PR perspective, but from a footballing one as well.

 

Whether or not they still have intentions to sell the club is up in the air. Our surprising success might have just altered their long-term mentality.

 

Whey that just sounds like a load of negative bollocks to me, sorry. They'd need the club to be a damn sight better than stumbling around the lower reaches of the table if Ashley were ever to sell the club and get any sort of decent money for it.

 

But even if that was the plan, why would they need to take the risk and replace Hughton so as to keep things sweet with the supporters/media while keeping the club up on a shoestring? That is ultimately exactly what Hughton was doing for them.

 

That's fair do's. I can appreciate why you would think that, given the form we are in. But it's what i thought at the time (aided by Golfmag P.I), and our form hasn't changed that. I'll always think the manner of his appointment was a bit iffy.

 

Our form, as you say, has nowt to do with it and hasn't changed my opinion in the slightest. That Golfmag had a heads up on the appointment if anything suggests even less of a fluke - that the club had put a fair bit of time and thought into the appointment. If they only thought Pardew would do the bare minimum, how on earth would that help them get the fans and media back on side enough to attract buyers? It just doesn't make sense.

 

Replacing Hughton was a risk not worth taking if they were just looking for a way out, and a 5 year contract for the new man strikes me as pretty unattractive to a buyer as well. They brought in someone who they could work with, and the effect on the media, fans, and prospective buyers was secondary. It suggested a new direction and as the trust built, Pardew got them to invest and push on with captures like Cabaye, Santon, and Cisse. If that continues (yeah, yeah, I know ) then hopefully they're not just the jammy bastards that understandably some see them as.

[Tiresias]

We've benefited from Liverpool being worse than expected, Chelsea similarly no doubt, some leagues when the top four all were winning most games we may be struggling with the games we did lose. That said we've equalled Spur's points from last season for 5th place. However 62 would only get us 8th season before...

 

How've we benefited from Livepool being worse than expected? They finished on 58 points last season.

 

Fair point but think even I thought they'd be closer to the top than they are.

[BottledDog]

Of course it's a myth.

 

Well, could be read in different ways, but it certainly wasn't totally gash. Took a good deal of solace in it and what some of his old clubs supporters said after he was appointed which helped me start to get behind him a bit.

 

 

 

/I seemed to have very different mates to HTT's Hammer and Charlton friends thankfully.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

And my bairn's winning streak since he was born... Played 6 and won them arl.

 

Oh look at me, I've never seen the Toon lose...pathetic.

 

 

Good record though.

 

HTT, you changed your mind about Pardew?

 

Nope. He is now doing the things I've been asking of him and his team are now doing the things I always believed they were capable of if should Pardew change his ways, which he has done and massive credit to him. All my criticisms of him were all correct at the time and justified though, as is any praise I give him now, which he deserves and then sum. If we finish top 4 and qualify for the CL and start next season playing how we are now, I will happily admit that I was wrong to say he was not good enough or going to take us to where this kind of team can go, which is, of course, the CL or certainly comepting for it which we ARE doing so as things stands, I'm wrong on that front. I wasnt wrong with my criticisms at the time though and if anything I should be writing, I told yous so, because I stated time and time again just what this team could achieve in terms of performances if Pardew just trusted his players more, started selecting the right players (Ben Arfa for example), in the right lineup and ditched the long ball. Since he started doing that it is no coincidence we've been playing better football and getting better results. That and of course, the birth of my son, being another key factor

 

What Pardew does deserve special praise for his Jonas, a very brave decision and a tactical masterstroke of KK and Owen type proportions. Cisse is on fire and Ben Arfa is amazing, but Jonas playing centrally or rather withdrawn in a narrow more central role, has solidified our midfield and allowed Cabaye to play further forward and HE is our real playmaker, never mind Ben Arfa, he's the match winner, its Cabaye who can if allowed, pulls all the strings.

 

Pardew also deserves massive credit for our so-called lesser players like Perch et al coming in whenever called upon and doing a damned fine job, that's down to Pardew's attention to detail and match preparation and of course man management skills.

 

Never in my life following NUFC has all of our lesser players have all to a man played key roles this season. Williamson, Simpson, Ryan Taylor, Guthrie, Perch, Shola, all tagged as championship players in the past by a good few on here including myself. Pardew has made them key members of the squad and had a major positive impact on their own individual games.

[Stu]

What utter shite, how can you expect a club who are only one season into the top flight (and largely expected to be lower mid-table at best) to start playing confident, passing football with a newly built team?

 

You're living in dream world if you expect 4 new signings to instantly gel and perform as a unit every week - where are they supposed to get the confidence from to express themselves in the first part of the season? The Pardew masterplan was obvious from the start, he wanted to get points on the board to ensure we hit our first target (Prem safety) and then take it from there.

 

That the players (and Pardew's tactics) overachieved in the first two-thirds of the season has allowed him and the players the freedom and confidence to reach their potential, which is the controlled, attacking football we've been showing in the past few weeks.

 

At this level, there's not a great deal of difference in players' conditioning, 90% of the players are of the same technical level, so it is confidence and mentality that plays such an important part on how a team performs.

 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

What utter s****, how can you expect a club who are only one season into the top flight (and largely expected to be lower mid-table at best) to start playing confident, passing football with a newly built team?

 

We need to stop this new to the top-flight crap, there is no excuse for some of the negative long ball crap we've served up this season which was in the main down to the manager's tactics, team selections and negative approach to the game. As for carpet football, no-one expected that, not me anyway, I didn't expect the calibre of players we do have in our side to struggle to play some possession football though which they did. Now that isn't the case and myself and others have been vindicated. I always thought we could play good attacking football from the off and we are doing that.

 

As for a new team, bollocks, only Ba, Cabaye and Obertan were regularly in the side, hardly a brand new team as you put it - 3 players man.

 

[STM]

What utter s****, how can you expect a club who are only one season into the top flight (and largely expected to be lower mid-table at best) to start playing confident, passing football with a newly built team?

 

We need to stop this new to the top-flight crap, there is no excuse for some of the negative long ball crap we've served up this season which was in the main down to the manager's tactics, team selections and negative approach to the game. As for carpet football, no-one expected that, not me anyway, I didn't expect the calibre of players we do have in our side to struggle to play some possession football though which they did. Now that isn't the case and myself and others have been vindicated. I always thought we could play good attacking football from the off and we are doing that.

 

As for a new team, bollocks, only Ba, Cabaye and Obertan were regularly in the side, hardly a brand new team as you put it - 3 players man.

 

 

Oh, so we have you to thank for our current form and style? I'm so glad that you pointed out to the rest of us idiots how poor we were playing previously.

 

One "blip" in form aside, we have been outstanding all season. There is simply no excuse for picking the bones out of Pardew's performance this season, other than sheer negativity or a simple case of being afraid to admit that you were wrong.

 

Even when we were playing "poorer" football, i had no doubt that we would come through the other side. Not because i'm some know-all, but because i totally understood what Pardew was trying to do and i had confidence in it.

 

I'm glad Pards has repaid my faith and i hope now that you too, will have the bollocks to place your faith in him.

[Guest]

He's also rammed the "can't handle flair players" tag down a fair few throats as well.

[BottledDog]

What utter s****, how can you expect a club who are only one season into the top flight (and largely expected to be lower mid-table at best) to start playing confident, passing football with a newly built team?

 

We need to stop this new to the top-flight crap, there is no excuse for some of the negative long ball crap we've served up this season which was in the main down to the manager's tactics, team selections and negative approach to the game. As for carpet football, no-one expected that, not me anyway, I didn't expect the calibre of players we do have in our side to struggle to play some possession football though which they did. Now that isn't the case and myself and others have been vindicated. I always thought we could play good attacking football from the off and we are doing that.

 

As for a new team, bollocks, only Ba, Cabaye and Obertan were regularly in the side, hardly a brand new team as you put it - 3 players man.

 

 

Oh, so we have you to thank for our current form and style? I'm so glad that you pointed out to the rest of us idiots how poor we were playing previously.

 

One "blip" in form aside, we have been outstanding all season. There is simply no excuse for picking the bones out of Pardew's performance this season, other than sheer negativity or a simple case of being afraid to admit that you were wrong.

 

Even when we were playing "poorer" football, i had no doubt that we would come through the other side. Not because i'm some know-all, but because i totally understood what Pardew was trying to do and i had confidence in it.

 

I'm glad Pards has repaid my faith and i hope now that you too, will have the bollocks to place your faith in him.

 

Well said that man.

[Cajun]

It was quite funny when HTT put himself forward as a better manager than Pardew because his cousin got scouted or something, tbf

[Guest BooBoo]

HTT has handled the Pardew critique in a similar way to how Dalglish handled the Suarez affair.

[Guest bimpy474]

HTT has handled the Pardew critique in a similar way to how Dalglish handled the Suarez affair.

 

Harsh 

[Guest BooBoo]

What I meant was there comes a time to hold your hands up (in a badass manner) and accept you were wrong.

[gbandit]

HTT made a lot of good points and his main ones about style of play did come to fruition. However, if anyone ever talks themselves up, they're set up for a fall

[Guest bimpy474]

What I meant was there comes a time to hold your hands up (in a badass manner) and accept you were wrong.

 

Well if he plops his head on a plate like John the Baptist, reckon that'll cover it.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

What I meant was there comes a time to hold your hands up (in a badass manner) and accept you were wrong.

 

Wrong about what?

 

I was right about many things. I will be massively wrong about Pardew himself if he keeps going the way he is but that is one pie I will happily eat.

 

He clearly reads here by the way, I put forward the idea of Jonas playing centrally years ago...

 

Another thing I have been proved right on

[Dokko]

Had Pardew continued to put out teams set up to perform like Wolves at home he'd be under extreme pressure, but he changed it and we've performed much better. You can only talking about what you see, Pardew was getting it wrong and showed no sign of changing things then boom, he did. Its great news and its give us a great end to the season, but to say HTT was wrong is nonsense, plenty of people on here were very worried where we were heading, whether they said owt or not is a different matter. I personally thought he was blowing it and was fuming.

 

One concern i have left is that he reverts back to old at the start of the season, trying to protect points etc...if that doesnt happen and we see what were seeing now its only going to get better with better players coming in.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

 

Oh, so we have you to thank for our current form and style? I'm so glad that you pointed out to the rest of us idiots how poor we were playing previously.

 

idiot

 

One "blip" in form aside, we have been outstanding all season. There is simply no excuse for picking the bones out of Pardew's performance this season, other than sheer negativity or a simple case of being afraid to admit that you were wrong.

 

We have been outstanding in terms of points but up until West Brom away, our performances in general have ranged from extremely poor to average (with the odd exception) and the likes of myself who did and rightly so pick the bones out of these performances, observed that if we actually played a bit more football and selected the right players and ditched the negative approach, performances would improve and results would be even better. Low and behold.... that is exactly what happened.

 

I except given our results it did seem a tad chrulish to pick the bones out as you say but when we have the players we do, it needed to be said. A blind man could see our performances were poor given the quality of our players. Moreso though, a blind man could tell you better tactics and a less negative approach would get the players playing much better.

 

Even when we were playing "poorer" football, i had no doubt that we would come through the other side. Not because i'm some know-all, but because i totally understood what Pardew was trying to do and i had confidence in it.

 

I'm glad Pards has repaid my faith and i hope now that you too, will have the bollocks to place your faith in him.

 

I had no doubt... that if he ditched the negative tactics, hoof ball, containment game and started selecting his better players (Ben Arfa), trusting them more and adopted a more attacking possession type of game, we'd play much better and pick up even more points. I also said we would defend better as a result and that's what has happened. I didn't have faith in Pardew wising up so fair play to him and massive credit.

 

I was very wrong to claim he didn't want or was unable to, he clearly was able, although I believe things have clicked more out of chance than actual design of late and he has simply not been stupid enough to ditch things.

[colinmk]

Good post HTT.

[TheGuv]

As always. Yet he always gets shot down. RAWKesque at times in the Pardew thread 

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Had Pardew continued to put out teams set up to perform like Wolves at home he'd be under extreme pressure, but he changed it and we've performed much better. You can only talking about what you see, Pardew was getting it wrong and showed no sign of changing things then boom, he did. Its great news and its give us a great end to the season, but to say HTT was wrong is nonsense, plenty of people on here were very worried where we were heading, whether they said owt or not is a different matter. I personally thought he was blowing it and was fuming.

 

One concern i have left is that he reverts back to old at the start of the season, trying to protect points etc...if that doesnt happen and we see what were seeing now its only going to get better with better players coming in.

 

Even in the second half against West Brom and against Swansea were went long at times and tried to contain but that was never what bothered me, I don't mind us mixing it up, its when we do it all the time or too much that got me and we did. Now we don't. And that's great. I for one never demanded, expected or even hoped for carpet football, we don't play anywhere near that, but we do play attractive, attacking football in the main now and its great to see and great for our players especially because they are now expressing themselves and playing at the top of their game.

[STM]

HTT, i'm not debating with you over the tactical side of things. Yes you were right about us being negative and needing to come out of our shells a bit but then everyone said that, me included. As well as the inclusion of Ben Arfa, which we were crying out loud for.

 

My issue is a different one. You started doubting a manager who had already got us into an incredible position in the league and even claiming that you would prefer to have Martin Jol as our manager (out of interest, would you still make that swap?). At the time, as well as now, i find that critisism of him extremely harsh, since he was already on the verge of achieving something great. However, now he has surpassed everyone's wildest dreams.

 

I don't mind the fact that you had reservations about Pardew, in fact, differing opinions make the world spin IMO. All i want is for you to admit that you were wrong about Pardew himself, not the tactics.

 

[STM]

For the record, i've always liked your posts HTT. You always make important points.

 

I just think you got it wrong on Pardew.

[Cajun]

Have to remember over half of our starting 11 had no or very little games for us at the start of the season. It's very easy to state we should be capable of x, y and z but players do sometimes take a little time to gel/settle. I can't see how Pardew deserves any criticism tbh, he was winning us points with players most of us thought were pretty awful at the start of the season playing 'safe' football and has gradually brought in the more talented individuals and made them key players whilst improving our style of play.

 

I said earlier it is very easy for me to claim I was right (when in Rome..) but imo Ben Arfa now has all the raw ability he always had but also has a lot more to his game in regards to being a team player. Pardew isn't the first manager to struggle with the lad (I don't think there has been a manager who hasn't) but he really seems to have struck gold in getting the absolute best out of him.

 

He has also brought out very good performances from players we never, ever expected had the capability to.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

HTT, i'm not debating with you over the tactical side of things. Yes you were right about us being negative and needing to come out of our shells a bit but then everyone said that, me included. As well as the inclusion of Ben Arfa, which we were crying out loud for.

 

My issue is a different one. You started doubting a manager who had already got us into an incredible position in the league and even claiming that you would prefer to have Martin Jol as our manager (out of interest, would you still make that swap?). At the time, as well as now, i find that critisism of him extremely harsh, since he was already on the verge of achieving something great. However, now he has surpassed everyone's wildest dreams.

 

I don't mind the fact that you had reservations about Pardew, in fact, differing opinions make the world spin IMO. All i want is for you to admit that you were wrong about Pardew himself, not the tactics.

 

 

Fair enough.

 

And read up, you will see me saying if he carries on as he's doing I will have been massively wrong about him as manager of NUFC.