Speaking to The Chronicle, Pardew was keen not to raise the bar ahead of the new season although he did admit that qualifying for the Champions League will be the ultimate aim for the season ahead.
Much of what we do next season will depend on how we strengthen over the summer, but with no new signings imminent it would appear that we must wait to see who our first “first team” signing will be this summer. Equally important though is keeping hold of our current crop of stars. With another season of Premier League football under their belts these guys can only get better which could help us out next season.
“If we improve and these guys get another year under their belts together, there’s no reason why we can’t do the same – if not better,” Pardew told The Chronicle.
“I don’t want to raise unexpected expectations. I think our fans would honestly accept eighth, though I don’t think they’d want us to finish lower.”
“That would be a decent season, but wouldn’t it be great if we could get in the top four, so that’s where we’ve got to aim.” He added: “Where we fall will probably depend on injuries, form and a little bit of luck.”
So in your opinion is 8th the minimum you would accept from the new season?
It’s a hard one to judge to be honest as so much depends on other teams. I think we fluked it a little bit last season in truth. That’s not to say that we didn’t deserve to finish 5th because we did. What I mean is that other “big hitters” had torrid times last season, like Chelsea who have spent a fortune already this summer.
Ultimately I’d like us to improve on last season although I do understand that it will be hard to achieve. Would I be happy with 8th though? Probably not as it’s a backward step although ultimately I’ll only really be able to gauge my happiness come the end of the season and after I can survey what went on and what went wrong.
How about you though?
Ice @147 😆
Andy@148 😆 😯
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim
My dad worked for Shell and he took lots of jobs about. My older sister was born in the Bahamas where they lived for a few years cus my dad had work there as well, though we kept coming back to Scootland, first Aberdeen and now Perth-Kinrossshire.
Andymag(Quote)
Andy ,Ah the Scotland thing makes sense now.
kimtoon(Quote)
Kim
I was in a year 2 3 times. Was Primary 2 in Scotland, Year 2 in one of the Singapore schools, then grade 2 at the other Singapore school, each school started a year later than the other so I thought I wasn’t ageing. 😕
Andymag(Quote)
Andy , Know the feeling mate, just imagine if we’d stayed in the same place we’d be really smart 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Andy/Kim – I too was moved around as a young un, then the rozzaz finally caught up with me old man 😥
Sharpy17(Quote)
Kim
We’re culturally intelligent 😉
Andymag(Quote)
Sharpy, that’s harsh.
right I’m outta here cya . 😀
kimtoon(Quote)
Aww Sharpy 🙁
Night Kim 😉
Andymag(Quote)
8th!!!!!!!!!!! 😈
Who does Pardew think hes kidding?! 😈
So we fail to qualify for Europa next year and he expects us to be satisfied?! 😈
Idiot ! 😈
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I wonder if the comments would be different if the article had been headed:
“we could get in the top four, so that’s where we’ve got to aim.” – Pardew.
brisvegas(Quote)
Bris – Possibly 😉
toonsy(Quote)
settle down people, it was a quote in the paper, not a fecking mission statement 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Gotta say though I think the vast majority of comments are reasonable and recognise the fact that Europe is likely to have an impact on our season.
toonsy(Quote)
true, my comment was aimed more toward Troy Staph-Infection @180 who was getting fired up 😉
Europa will have a big effect… our guys looked tired as it was this season when we had a number of games close together…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Troy @160 😳
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I think the extra games will take their toll on our league position – unless we bring in a few players now and a couple in January. First-teamers, that is. It’s all very well asking the young guys to step up, but they may not step up in one season – not that there’s any guarantee that a new player will perform either.
If we have a good Europa run (and I see no reason why we can’t reach the final rounds) then I’d say 8th is the lowest I’d accept. I’d be pretty pissed off if we didn’t make the top 8 and we hadn’t invested and the predictable long injury list happened.
However, I agree with Pardew in that we should aim for the top four, and to do that I think we need four or five quality signings (not that we’ll know if we’ve made a quality signing until well into the season). Mind you, we could hope that Pardew really is a miracle-worker and we have another outstanding season with an overperforming squad. And maybe I’m wrong to believe that we have some mediocre depth behind a strong first 11 or 12.
I’d be happy if that were the case.
As for Troy … well, he’s not a real person; he’s more of an internet persona, and has always been a fantasist and a wind-up merchant. Don’t even bother reading his posts anymore.
brisvegas(Quote)
fair points there Vegas….. I think injuries will play a part but the bigger factor will be fatigue.. I know they are fit professionals but playing 3 games in a week would even tire a fit bloke like me 😯
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Fatigue is another reason you need a good squad – so you can rest players without diminishing the quality of the starting eleven.
3 games a week? Pfft. I used to play 7. And then play a few 5-a-side games just to relax the muscles.
brisvegas(Quote)
I think Vuckic, if he can stay fit, will have a big part to play this season… I think he is good enough, he just needs a run of games..
I was actually talking about playing real games of football Vegas…. not camping on a lounge and playing FIFA 2012 mate 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Agree about Vuckic.He could have been a player last season but hurt again. Having him back is like having … ahem … a new signing. So that’s 3 – Vuckic, Marveaux and Saylor.
I wonder which of our current players will be like new signings next season 😆
Never played FIFA 2012, but I was once a dab hand at that game when all the players stand around like mackem defenders and you have twist a knob to make them kick the ball. always been good at handling knobs.
brisvegas(Quote)
You do handle Troy quite well Vegas, so your handling of knobs is very proficient.. 😆 😉
Look for Vuckic to make a big impact this season… that’s my big call for the up coming season… you read it here first
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
My big pick to excel – Santon.
brisvegas(Quote)
yeah Santon will improve for sure… he has the pedigree, he just needs to get used to the bash and crash of the PL and he will be a star…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Morning campers. 😆
Em. . Put it this way.
You lot are talking as if we are going to go into the new season with the same squad as last season?
I’m expecting us to strengthen to cover the fact we are in Europe and have extra games.
Why would anyone be satisfied with finishing outside of europe next season ???????
As for changing the title to ” we aim to finish 4th”.
No it wouldn’t make a difference. I read all his quotes and the title quote infuriates me. 😈
Buy players instead of making excuses!!!! 😈
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Begas
You clearly don’t understand the Geordie passion cos you don’t experience it living 12k miles away.
No I’m not an Internet persona. I say it how it is which you clearly don’t understand being an Aussie. Keep watching on your laptop and I will visit SJP and feel the passion which you clearly don’t have. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Begas
You say;
Never played FIFA 2012, but I was once a dab hand at that game when all the players stand around like mackem defenders and you have twist a knob to make them kick the ball. always been good at handling knobs.
I bet you have. 😛 I bet you have your hands full when Faussie turns up. A can of Fozzies in one hand and Faussie in the other. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
AMF @ 174. Santon impressed in a few games last season, though in others he seemed a bit lost, but he showed enough for me to have some confidence that he can be a major player.
brisvegas(Quote)
It doesn’t get much better than this. 😛
A hissy fit snub from Begas. 😛 😛 😛
Woo hoooo hoo hooooo 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
You would have been better off not posting Begas as it looks like a real girly thing to do. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
That’s not to say that we don’t need another full back or two. I’d welcome another 3 defensive players.
brisvegas(Quote)
Yep, 2 defenders are required even if we don’t lose Simmo (who looks to be going to Reading)
I reckon we will get the bodies we need…….. hopefully…….. at least I think we will……… ahhh forget it 😡
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
your losing your touch Troy… 4 digs at Vegas and no bites….Lonely fisherman with the empty bucket, I think you need a new rod … the one you have is a little flaccid 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
2 hissy fit snubs. 😛 😛 😛 😳
I love Aussies. Great entertainment. 😆 😆 😆
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I think Vegas is an expat mate!
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@aussie
It doesn’t half show Begas up. Not a bite? His snub is the biggest catch I’ve ever caught. 😛
@aussie
Would you really be satisfied with finishing 8th next season?
Troy Stavers(Quote)
An expat? Can’t be! No Brit gans on like my 8 yr old daughter . Clearly been expelled from our country. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
no mate, of course not…. however, I think this is all lip service from Pardz…. behind closed doors he will be expecting nothing short of top 4 -6…
I wouldn’t even stress about these comments… You don’t become a top flight manager without having a nasty competitive streak…. 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@aussie
But why say it? It’s an insult to the fans. Surely they will be strengthening the squad to cover the Euro games. I’ve just forked out for two season tickets. I don’t expect my manager to be satisfied with 8th. . . . Where has he got that opinion from?
Disgraceful statement. 😕
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Under promise and over deliver, mate!!! 😉
much better than over promising and under delivering… which is why your wife complains about your performance between the sheets
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
I agree with AMF @ 184 and 187
And I can’t understand these people who take one sentence from a series of sentences just so they can have a winge.
brisvegas(Quote)
@Begas
Get out your girly huff and man up man!
You say;
And I can’t understand these people who take one sentence from a series of sentences just so they can have a winge.
Sorry, I should just ignore the alarming bits and just select the positive bits. 🙄
incredible way of dealing with things. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Exclusive: Padew wants his players to be injured.
He said on the official site when talking about Steven Taylor: “At the moment he has a slight hamstring strain, which I’m okay about”
brisvegas(Quote)
F*ck, how can Pardz be happy with that… disgraceful 😆 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
To be fair. It’s exactly that. 😛
Thanks for assisting me. 😉
Now you are understanding my point . 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Without certain cup scenarios (not this again), we have to finish 5th to get Europe.
Can’t see that happening myself with the amounts some cllubs are spending.
I don’t want us to overspend with the aim of Europa and have to sell if we come up short. Would rather we cement 6th-8th and bide our time until the financial fair play rules come in.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Wheres my Big mate Dave.
He is one of the few who speaks common sense. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Trumpet
Who is spending big?
Name the 7 clubs you would be satisfied with finishing above us.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy, growing up, were you one of those guys that would constantly hit someone in the arm while saying “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” “does this hurt?” 😕
I’m thinking so 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
@Aussie
Which 7 clubs would you be satisfied finishing above us.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Solanostrumpet – money ain’t everything. I thought we proved that last season.
brisvegas(Quote)
@Aussie
Not at all. But what you learn in life that in any group you will normally find the same cross section of personalities.
Theres always a victim who is so defensive and if you disagree with them they go in a huff.
Guess who that is. Unfortunately there have been 2 on this morning. A bit of a clue. It’s not you or me. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy – What if Sunderland finish seventh?
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Man U – Man City – Chelsea – Arsenal – Spurs – Liverpool – Everton
These are the teams that I could begrudgingly accept to finish above us… but not be overly happy about it… Its a competitive league mate… There is nowt between us/spurs/liverpool & everton….. so we shall see where the card fall….
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Everton?!
How and why should they finish above us?
We finished above them and have more financial clout.
I would be gutted if we allow teams like that over take us considering we have an opportunity to strengthen.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy, I am struggling to understand your argument here mate…. when two teams go out onto the park and go head to head for 90 + minutes, it doesn’t matter how much financial clout you have. It is like a lottery in regards to how your team will play and how the opposition team will play… Man City spent 100’s of millions on players and they were beaten by teams worth a pittance.. You seem to be applying logic to a game of football that has so many variables it is not funny.. We don’t deserve anything in regards to where we finish, we have to earn it, just like every other team. So to me nothing is a given, the teams I noted have every chance of finishing above us…
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
AMF @ 205 – Based on that logic, any team could finish above us. Why the ones you’ve identified? We’re now talking about the result of a single game but about where we finish in the league.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Troy ,to be fair to Everton they have finished top 6 loads of times ,and you have to factor in the Moyes element too .That guy is a very good manager who gets the best out of his players as does Pards …so far. As for the Dippers ,I will be gutted if they finish above us as I still think we are a better outfit than them ,Rogers or no Rogers.
kimtoon(Quote)
“not” not “now” @ 206
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
What concerns me most is the strengthening others are doing such as Chelsea ,Spurs and Arsenal ,we need to get a shift on and get some proper first teamers in. They won’t be anywhere near as poor as last season imo.
kimtoon(Quote)
@aussie
Financial clout definitely has some bearing on it over a season. **** managers with financial clout equal things out.
We have a good manager and more financial clout than Everton. They really are on the bones of their ****.
If we fail to finish above them next season it’s down to lack of investment in our squad. We have enough money to do that and there should be no reason why it shouldn’t happen.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Kimtoon
I don’t really expect us to finish above Chelsea, Arsenal, Man city or Man Utd – they have more financial clout and good managers.
Spurs and Liverpool have more clout than us but their managers could struggle, so who knows.
Over a period of time, when you have a decent manager and financial backing then you can almost guarantee the minimum league pisition you will finish.
Logic. Some don’t see logic . 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
I await your response. I’m having another kip before I head to work.
Standby.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy & B&B,I based my teams on history because it is a strong guide as to how things will play out this season.. Is the right way to predict the top 8… no it isn’t ,but you asked me for what I thought.. I agree with Kim regarding everton, very good manager and the team has heart. Of course the quality of players at the likes of City will see them come out on top more often than not. But as we saw this season, a couple of lost points can cost a heap of places on the league ladder.. We won some games we were not expected to and we lost some we probably should have won last season, the same will happen again going forward. So to say that if you invest, have finacial clout and have a good manager, you should finish higher than a team not so strong in those areas’s is a mute argument. As I said last post, there are way to many variables to simply say ‘we should finish higher, because we did last season’
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
Troy @ 212.. so who is a nighty night boy then? . 🙂 🙂
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
@Aussie
Just woke, read your post and fell asleep. 😛
Totally disagree. I’ve explained why. You don’t make sense IMO . 😉
Again you complicate things when in reality it’s simple.
Financial clout + Good manager = higher position
Than;
Less financial clout + good manager
Look at the league from last season and look at my logic. Come back when you realise I’m right.
See you soon. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Just like your analysis of PL football ‘ it’s a easy game really’ – which I found highly amusing when you wrote an article on it. You seem to dumb down a complex set of circumstance to a simple equation that holds no water..Sorry mate, I respect your football knowledge but I am finding it harder and harder to do that, with these inane arguments you put forth.. 🙂 🙂 Your serve mate, 40/0- advantage Aussie Mag 🙂 🙂 🙂
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
Troy I agree 100% with you and I stated that I wouldn’t be satisfied with 8th 👿 , anything short of Europe in my mind is a failure. I have been a supporter of Pards from he came here but he called this badly wrong imo .
I see some saying that with the amount of games we have we will struggle and with other teams strengthening we will struggle ❓ ❓ ❓ one easy solution Jabba gets his hand in his pocket and invest in the team the same as all the other teams its that simple 😈
People need to stop making excuses for him not to waste his money.
Big Dave(Quote)
O.k I concede on this.. if we spend money we are guarantee’d a higher/top four finish… how silly of me, spend away and let the success pour forth … I might email Jabba and remind him about his finacial clout.. 🙂 Hey, the exact theory has worked for Liverpool 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
aussie magpie fan(Quote)
Because they had a **** manager?
It’s not that complicated, surely?
Pootle(Quote)
Maybe king kenny should have played 443 more often… it would have been that simple… no need for tactics, just the good old 443 🙂 🙂 🙂
aussie magpie fan(Quote)