Alan Pardew

[Guest neesy111]

8th is unacceptable IMO. Guess that makes me a pessimist. Wish I was one of those optimists that aims for mid table.

 

The aim every year should be top six, I just don't think the club would find 8th unsatisfactory enough to bin the manager.

 

If that's true then that's depressing to think that's the ambition of the club.

[Wullie]

8th is unacceptable IMO. Guess that makes me a pessimist. Wish I was one of those optimists that aims for mid table.

 

The aim every year should be top six, I just don't think the club would find 8th unsatisfactory enough to bin the manager.

 

Oh, I agree but I think there's far too many fans happy with hovering around 8th place as well. The club has no need to strive for success when such a significant proportion of the support think being in the top half is a marvellous achievement.

[SEMTEX]

Of course that's true man

[Hanshithispantz]

if we finish 8th the bloke shouldn't be sacked like, that's an absolutely ridiculous job-on-the-line target.

 

 

[Hanshithispantz]

I mean he should be gone now, but if he stays we cannot sack the man for finishing 8th imo.

[Wullie]

if we finish 8th the bloke shouldn't be sacked like, that's an absolutely ridiculous job-on-the-line target.

 

 

 

Depends. If we'd finished 8th this season playing like this - still might (arf) - we should still be getting rid. It's insufferable.

[SEMTEX]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

[Hanshithispantz]

if we finish 8th the bloke shouldn't be sacked like, that's an absolutely ridiculous job-on-the-line target.

 

 

 

Depends. If we'd finished 8th this season playing like this - still might (arf) - we should still be getting rid. It's insufferable.

Or aye, I don't think it's cut and dry at all and there are many factors that come into play, but 8th would be a good season most years and I cannot think of many owners who would keep their man after a relegation scrap and then bin him for finishing 8th.

 

I don't think we'll finish 8th with him though unless we invest in another 4-5 players.

[Wullie]

if we finish 8th the bloke shouldn't be sacked like, that's an absolutely ridiculous job-on-the-line target.

 

 

 

Depends. If we'd finished 8th this season playing like this - still might (arf) - we should still be getting rid. It's insufferable.

Or aye, I don't think it's cut and dry at all, but 8th would be a good season most years and I cannot think of many owners who would keep their man after a relegation scrap and then bin him for finishing 8th.

 

I don't think we'll finish 8th with him though unless we invest in another 4-5 players.

 

I think we could invest in another 45 players and not see any progression. He's a busted flush. I hate him and yet even I didn't think he could make Sissoko and MYM look this shit. He makes every single player worse due to his approach.

 

TRon's absolutely right when he says he's Di Canio's bitch now. We simply cannot afford to risk going into another derby with this man at the helm.

[ElDiablo]

With no Europe next year, with the squad we have, top 7 minimum for me. Without having to constantly grind out 1-0 victories at home to the likes of Norwich and Cardiff.

[Wullie]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

[Guest neesy111]

There's a good question, what will be acceptable to our top players next season to convince them to stay?

[SEMTEX]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

Happy is the wrong word, but I wouldn't be calling for the head of a manager that went 5th then 10th. Even if I don't think the shite will improve, I'm not going to call for his head based upon my assumptions. If he follows that up with another 10th, then his position should be in serious doubt, unless he somehow finished 10th playing liquid football but was unfortunate with injuries or something.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

This is my whole point, it's not the final league position that matters. As long as the club deliver enough pride, excitement and pleasure over a season I'm not going to worry too much about whether we end up 7th or 10th.

[Wullie]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

This is my whole point, it's not the final league position that matters. As long as the club deliver enough pride, excitement and pleasure over a season I'm not going to worry too much about whether we end up 7th or 10th.

 

The club should be aiming to qualify for Europe though, minimum.

[SEMTEX]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

This is my whole point, it's not the final league position that matters. As long as the club deliver enough pride, excitement and pleasure over a season I'm not going to worry too much about whether we end up 7th or 10th.

 

The club should be aiming to qualify for Europe though, minimum.

 

Cups look like a far more effective, and more enjoyable route to Europe. See Wigan & Swansea...

 

I'd take a season like Swansea had.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I suppose so, either way in doesn't really mean anything in practice. They are making quality signings, we should try to win as many games as possible. That might mean we finish in Europe, it might not.

[Wullie]

We shouldn't like. If we finished anywhere top half I'd be happy, it just depends if its 10th place 3 seasons in a row. No signs of progression and I'd be displeased.

 

So if we finish 10th this season you'll be happy? Even though we've been atrocious for an entire season and got humiliated by that lot?

 

Exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

 

This is my whole point, it's not the final league position that matters. As long as the club deliver enough pride, excitement and pleasure over a season I'm not going to worry too much about whether we end up 7th or 10th.

 

The club should be aiming to qualify for Europe though, minimum.

 

Cups look like a far more effective, and more enjoyable route to Europe. See Wigan & Swansea...

 

I'd take a season like Swansea had.

 

I distinctly remember you telling me last season that we shouldn't bother our arse with the cups because we've got no chance!

[Interpolic]

I'm not sure why people are so sure he'll be here next year, most of the points for it can be put down to PR from Ashley and Llambias and discounted by them being ruthless business people with an obsession with value for money. I think he might well get sacked.

[Ryan_Taylor]

I'm not sure why people are so sure he'll be here next year, most of the points for it can be put down to PR from Ashley and Llambias and discounted by them being ruthless business people with an obsession with value for money. I think he might well get sacked.

 

The January investment got him a lot of rope to play with, he must feel it tightening as he fails to make good on Mike's latest investment. 'Their guy' or not, I'd be worried if I were Pardew.

[Hughesy]

Quick caveat - I hope we always aiming to get as high up the table as possible.

 

But, for those people who think that finishing 8th isn't good enough - what is our 'average' placing in all our years in the top division? 

 

I would be surprised if we have actually finished in the top 8 as many times as you would think.  I can't, however, be bothered to trawl through every league table to find out.  Wikipedia tells me that in the all time Premiership table, we are 8th.

 

 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I'm not sure why people are so sure he'll be here next year, most of the points for it can be put down to PR from Ashley and Llambias and discounted by them being ruthless business people with an obsession with value for money. I think he might well get sacked.

 

There's as many value for money arguments to keep him as there are to sack him.

 

If he hadn't finished 5th next season I might believe he would be sacked, but I suspect he's earned a stay of execution. Although as I've said before, predicting what they'll do is a dangerous business.

[Guest Open_C]

Reckon this one will go full circle - We all start off saying how great he is then by page 1000 we're screaming for his head.

 

Maybe this is quoted every few pages, I don't know.  But

[Wullie]

Quick caveat - I hope we always aiming to get as high up the table as possible.

 

But, for those people who think that finishing 8th isn't good enough - what is our 'average' placing in all our years in the top division? 

 

I would be surprised if we have actually finished in the top 8 as many times as you would think.  I can't, however, be bothered to trawl through every league table to find out.  Wikipedia tells me that in the all time Premiership table, we are 8th.

 

Isn't the point of sport to try and do better than 'average'?

[Hughesy]

Quick caveat - I hope we always aiming to get as high up the table as possible.

 

But, for those people who think that finishing 8th isn't good enough - what is our 'average' placing in all our years in the top division? 

 

I would be surprised if we have actually finished in the top 8 as many times as you would think.  I can't, however, be bothered to trawl through every league table to find out.  Wikipedia tells me that in the all time Premiership table, we are 8th.

 

Isn't the point of sport to try and do better than 'average'?

 

Yep - I would agree.  Hence why I said I hope we are always aiming to get as high up the table as possible.

 

I suppose what I am getting at is that we don't really have a history of being a consistent top 8 club at any time in our history and therefore any expectation that we should be doing better than that is possibly unrealistic.  Especially given who we are competing against.