Was sacking Hughton and hiring Pardew the right call?

Hughton v Pardew.
When Chris Hughton was unceremoniously axed by Newcastle there were many fans who were left less that impressed with the actions of the club.

Here was a quiet, unassuming man who had taken control of the team when they were at their lowest ebb having just suffered relegation. He managed to stabilise us and maintain a promotion challenge which ultimately saw us return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, despite the widespread proclamations from those “in the know” who claimed that we’d do a Leeds.

We then started off well in the Premier League. We had some cracking results, most notably against Aston Villa, Sunderland and away at Arsenal, but they weren’t the only ones. However it wasn’t enough and after a poor run of form Hughton was no more.

The reason for the managerial change was that the club were looking for someone with more experience. They hired Alan Pardew who wasn’t the first choice of anyone in fairness. He got the gig though, but he would also face an uphill task in terms of getting the NUFC fans onside. Chris Hughton was a popular manager and for some the world ended when he went. Some are still trying to get over it now.

Pardew started off well and went unbeaten in his first few games. Long story short he finished off the job of securing safety – a job that was started back in August by his predecessor. In fact we could have finished as high as 9th had the team managed to not blow a three goal lead on the final day of the season.

So here we are in this season. We’ve made a fantastic start to the season, a surprising start to the season in fact. We’re playing some decent stuff and have some cracking players who should show their best once they are given time to settle into life in the Premier League. Like it or not, Alan Pardew is doing a good job.

So now to the question of the article: Was replacing Hughton with Pardew, in hindsight, the right thing to do?

Personally I think yes. I wasn’t overly pleased when Hughton was sacked, and I wasn’t overly enamoured with the hiring of Alan Pardew. His record was hardly sparkling but still I decided to back Alan Pardew right form the word go, mainly because the memory of Chris Hughton getting a chance and using it was fresh in my mind. I did it for Hughton and he surprised me, so I thought that perhaps it could happen again.

So far so good on that score. Alan Pardew has us playing some decent stuff and has made us hard to beat in the process. It’s 11 games unbeaten in all competitions and more importantly it’s 11 games unbeaten at home.

To me Pardew is better than Hughton. We have a more dynamic team now with more ideas. We look more organised and professional both on the pitch and off it and Pardew must take at least some credit for it all.

The benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing, so with that do you think that ultimately it was the right call to fire Hughton and hire Pardew?

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

71 thoughts on “Was sacking Hughton and hiring Pardew the right call?

  1. I was sorry to see Chrissie Hughton go.He did a decent job against a backdrop of turmoil and shenanigans, which must have been difficult to cope with. He will not be forgotten, especially the 5-1 against our friends down the road.!!

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  2. In hindsight yes when Hughton was appointed no one wanted him but he did a good job.Pardew has replaced him and has us playing better football, I hope Chris does well but i hope pards does even better.For all of the critisiscm directed at him ,i wonder how many would tell their boss what to do then jack in if the boss did not listen and so be unable to support themselves and their family financially?

    well done not only to pards but his coaching staff.

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  3. I think it was the manner of the sacking that riled us.
    ffs there’s ways to go about getting rid of your manager.
    I think it was a disgusting way to treat a man that had done his level best for the club, in trying circumstances.
    No one can deny CH did a good job of getting us out of the cc, as champions, and yes he probably was out of his depth in the prem. But howay, the way he was just sacked stinks imo. Typical of the cockney mafia way.
    Classless owner and MD. I dont care how good NUFC may become under ashley, the man is scum and always will be.

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  4. Is there a good way to sack a manager like?

    Is Shepherd scum for the way he got rid of Sir Bobby?

    And please don’t say Cockney? Do you know what a Cockney is? Do you know how clueless it is to even say that about Ashley? Would you like to be called Scottish? Because that is the exact same comparison…

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  5. i think his reaction to their goal on saturday was telling. he was well pissed off and didnt mind letting them know. thats good management in my book – Hughton wouldnt have done that in the same circumstances. I think pardew is making the best of a very difficult job.

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  6. I really liked Hughton, as a man and a coach, still do, but I was always waiting for things to come crashing down around us whilst he was in charge. I said that he deserved his chance, and I really wanted him to have a full season to prove himself, but a part of me breathed a huge sigh of relief when he went. He’s a man it’s very easy to like, but we all know that it would have been harder to support him if the bad results continued. I’d hate to see the fans turn on Hughton.

    Alan Pardew was not my first choice, and I know a lot of Reading supporters who were very quick to criticise him when he was originally linked with the toon job, but he’s hardly put a foot wrong since he got here. He’s had my support since the first press conference, when he seemed to be the only person at SJP who was prepared to accept any kind of accountability for things that were happening at the club, despite having only just walked through the door. So far, we’re looking good under Pardew; we’re playing good football and we do have an improved team (just my opinion of course). He has coped with the loss of some key players and managed to mould what looks to be a great team full of youth and prospect into a team that can challenge for silverware in the next couple of years.

    I’m not getting carried away with our current position in the league, none of us should, but if you were asked at kick of on the 13th August where we’d be on the table today, nobody would have predicted 4th.

    Pardew’s done well, whether he’s had our support from the beginning or not.

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  7. For me, at the time it seemed to be a stupid move to sack CH. And then it seemed to compound the stupidity by bringing in AP.

    Then Pardew tried to big himself up when it was obvious he had no authority, and he didn’t appear to have much tactical nous, and I thought : what a load of wankers!

    Since Pardew came clean and admitted he is just a coach and not a manager, and since he’s done a wonderful job in getting the team to play proper football, I’ve decided it was a good decision. And now I like Pards a real lot.

    Still think the board make ***** decisions tho.

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  8. Oh, and why is the way that Hughton got sacked a reason for some to get on at Pardew? Was it Pardew who sacked him like?

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  9. oooooooh…. this a controvertial topic!

    I’ll haver to agree though, I think the main reason I didn’t get excited about Pardew when he came in was that I just didn’t know enough about him. So this set an optimistic, ‘let’s just see how it goes’ attitude which kind of sums up my attitude still. After we sold Carroll, ‘let’s just see how it goes’. After nolan left, ‘let’s just see how it goes’, after enrique and barton left ‘let’s just see how it goes’ and after all our signings (imo brilliant ones) ‘let’s just see how it goes’. Well it’s just the beginning and there’s been a lot of dark clouds over Newcastle over the last few seasons but I’ve been seeing how it goes and there seems to be a little, just a crack of sunlight trying to get through.

    Keep slogging away Alan.

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  10. Hughton wasn’t backed with a new coach when Calderwood left but was doing a great job up until then.

    It amazes me that people are suddenly saying Pardew is better. When Hughton had a coach, remember we stuffed Villa and Sunderland as well as beating Arsenal and Everton away.

    This must be the only club that announces stability by sacking a manager with a number of records.

    At least they have their puppet telling us that we didn’t need a new striker. I wonder if he is on a transfer fee bonus.

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  11. John
    September 26, 2011 at 09:33

    “It amazes me that people are suddenly saying Pardew is better. When Hughton had a coach, remember we stuffed Villa and Sunderland as well as beating Arsenal and Everton away.”

    Arsenal away was after Calderwood. Are we now saying that Calderwood was instrumental?

    What about the other games? The Blackpool, Wigan, Stoke, Blackburn type games at home? What about West Brom away? What about Bolton away?

    Yes we had some great results, but we also had some **** ones. Is it folly to praise Hughton for one set of results and let him off for the others?

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  12. We’ll never know if Hughton would’ve done better or worse than Pardew has, but I do think Pardew has done very well in moving us to a new system, playing football in a new way, and generally moving us up a level. A season or two down the line, if we’ve managed to cement a place in the top 8 or 6, would it then be the right time to sack Pardew and bring in a manager who has the experience and ability to take us to the top? I’d like to be answering this question in a couple of years. On the whole though, great job Pardew, I’m glad he was appointed.

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  13. WE ARE CURRENTLY 4TH IN THE LEAGUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SO WELL DONE ALL OF THE MANAGEMENT AND PLAYERS!!

    If we can stay in the top 6 until Jan we should be able to attract a better class of player in the transfer window!! How about a cheeky loan bid for Tevez or Anelka??

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  14. John, you’re a fool. Please go to work this week and walk up to your boss and say ‘i’m going to oppose everything you say’ and tell me how far you get.

    puppet…. my ****.

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  15. Right or wrong calls –

    replacing Hughton – yes, with hindsight absolutely
    selling Nolan – without a doubt, no hindsight necessary.
    accepting 35m for Carroll – gotta say yes again (as long as it’s used)
    allowing Barton to leave on a free – should/could have got a fee
    leaving the first team squad thin at RB, LB, CB and CF – dodgy, dodgy, dodgy… let’s hope we don’t get any major injuries before Jan, particularly in defence

    some reasons Pardew is an upgrade on Hughton –

    – Hughton had an aversion to making substitutes
    – Pardew is proving to be adept at making in-game tactical adjustments. In pretty much every game we’ve been better in the 2nd half
    – Pardew believes in sending young uns out on loan and is pro-active in doing so. Fingers crossed Tavernier will be ready to displace Simpson by the turn of the year……
    – Pardew is seemingly more capable at being the middleman between board and playing staff. Hughton wasnt able to balance these roles, at least in Ashley’s opinion.

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  16. Tattyheed

    Spot on. Hughton was letting people like Nolan and Smith walk all over him IMO. He had nee fuse in his hairdryer at half time. 😆 Pardew is capable of that and comands respect whilst at the same time seeming fair and even handed. Neither of them are that good at substitutions but Pardew is far better at delivering a half time rocket if neccessary and getting the team to come out stronger.

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  17. Yes there is a good way to sack a manager.
    It happens alot. You have a meeting and mutually agree to part company.
    Its still sacked, but the owner wouldn’t look like the complete **** that he is.
    I think the term “cockney mafia” is quite acceptable and describes the owner and his cohorts quite well. imo.
    And yes the sacking of sir Bobby was the biggest mistake FFS ever made.
    And yes FFS was always scum as chairman of NUFC, right back to the geordie dogs and rip off shirts incidents. Cant believe you would think otherwise.

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  18. DJG – aye. if i was him though i’d try to get the half time rocket in before the game started. Most of the time (saturday apart) – we’re ***** in the first half !

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  19. DJG – I’d argue about the subs. I think Pardew is far better at them. Firstly he makes changes before 80 minutes :mrgreen:

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  20. Who’s to say if CH hadn’t stayed he wouldn’t have similar players at his disposal and hence adopting the style of play to suit them? the scouting network would be exactly the same so it would be fair to assume he would have the same….possibly, we’ll never know.
    Like all of us I was p!ssed of when he was sacked, I wasn’t sure if he could take us much further but thought he had earned the chance, he didn’t get it and now that’s just another chapter in our turbulent history.
    Pardew is the manager now and is doing a great job, CH is no longer here and no longer interests me at all, I’m not arsed whether he does well at Brum or not, they’re not my team.

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  21. Beardsleys Boots
    September 26, 2011 at 09:48

    “I think the term “cockney mafia” is quite acceptable and describes the owner and his cohorts quite well. imo.”

    No it isn’t. It’s lazy and factually wrong and makes people who use it look like bell ends.

    Since when has Burnham in Buckinghamshire been anywhere near the East End of London? It’s the same distance as Newcastle is from Scotland. Are you Scottish?

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  22. Great decision in hindsight. Look where Birmingham are now…

    AP has the team playing a much more dynamic style. Much better than just hoofing it to the front man.

    People who say that Pards is a coach and not a manager are a joke. Do you even know what a manager is?

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  23. The big problem you have in deciding whether it was right in hindsight is, Hughton was not given the chance he deserved. We will never know.

    As far as Pardew goes. It wasn’t his fault Hughton was sacked. He’s doing a cracking job at the moment and the fact he’s explained that he leaves the transfer policies down to the regime and has openly criticised them for it, makes it even better for me.

    Long may this continue for me.

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  24. The answer to the question tho is a resounding YES.
    Pardew has impressed me since arriving, with the exception of some of the statements he has come out with, which have made him look foolish.
    From a footballing perspective tho, what more could we have asked for.
    I hope he remains in post for many years, as that will mean he is doing a great job for us.

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  25. Some absolute morons get on here. Everyone is entitled to there opinion but some people are negative just for the sake of being negative. They’re not happy unless they’re moaning.

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  26. There’s not one way to manage. Hughton was a man who allowed players to be free – a true leader of men imo. Think of the best people you have worked for – they allow and encourage you to be you. Very few respond to an ogre – its lazy mans thinking to demand discipline etc – it usually comes from within. Give me happiness and freedom over discipline and demands any day.

    My above rant is at those who criticise Hughton – he did nothing but great things for us – not metaphorically pissing on his grave.

    Onto Pards – used to hate him opening his mouth – it would write cheques he couldn’t cash or have the sayso whether they would be cashed. Hope he has learned from the summer to keep his trap shut – Chissy knew how to do that!

    Re the way we are playing, the club have made great comment about the right player, right attitude, character, style and budget being brought in.

    For me now Pards just a part of our success – I think we have a whole team at the club from management to reserves to first team. I always think its ridiculous to attribute success or failure to one man.

    Having said that – having the players at his disposal – he has them playing good attractive football. Given a long run at the helm – its an exciting future.

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  27. @John
    You say;

    At least they have their puppet telling us that we didn’t need a new striker. I wonder if he is on a transfer fee bonus.

    Pardew went public with his anger towards the board for not getting the striker he wanted.

    Please explain?

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  28. Stardust – I agree. Hughton was great for us. The one single thing that makes me want him to fail miserably is the pedestal that some fans still have him on (you know who I mean 😉 …)

    End of the day he is gone and there is someone else in charge. Is the memory of Hughton a rightful stick to beat Pardew with? That is what gets on my wick more than anything. Thankfully Pardew and the team are answering those cat calls with venom 🙂

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  29. Nobby – can’t believe how many were slagging the club this weekend – saying we need to react to a bad run to be a good team – weird.

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  30. What’s really interesting in retrospect is the way Hughton was sacked – we were all shocked at the time because he was doing OK and we’re used (at Newcastle United and the rest of English football) to see managers sacked in a panic after a run of poor results. So if Hughton had lost to Sunderland and we were second bottom, the fans would have been on his back and they would have supported Ashley. But because Ashley took a long term decision (Hughton was too close to the players’ committee and wasn’t up to the big tactical and leadership challenge of turning a Championship-winning/mid table Premiership team into a top-third Premiership one) rather than a short term one (sacking the manger for losing a derby or a cup tie) everyone hates him (good job he doesn’t care) . Another example of how Ashley “not understanding football” (ie having an outsider’s perspective) is a good thing for the club.

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  31. In hindsight, yes it was the right move although did`nt think so at the time. Yes, Pardew is doing a good job and I think we are seeing the benefits of Ashleys hardline, businesslike approach to transfers and salaries on the pitch. Time is a great healer and you need time to see strategies develop. I think its maybe time to focus on the team, appreciate the quality of the football they are serving up and leave the off field politics to sort themselves out. With Cabaye and Tiote complimenting each others styles and Marvaux, Ben Arfa and Abeid yet to fulfill their immense potential, things are looking very promising. I am looking forward to going to games at St James again and that has`nt been the case for some seasons now. Time to stop moaning and enyoy football for what it is.

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  32. Stardust
    September 26, 2011 at 10:13

    “Nobby – can’t believe how many were slagging the club this weekend – saying we need to react to a bad run to be a good team – weird.”

    Agree 100%

    I do see their point, but why not give credit where it’s due and stop worrying about what may happen? It’s as though people are waiting for us to lose a game so they can say “I told you so”. Quite sad really

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  33. I dont know whether its about right or wrong its more hughton was never their man you could see that.

    I thought he did a fantastic job but at the present we have a team that is so different to the one that hughton managed so we can never compare the two really.

    I think pardew has landed on his feet at the mo and is making the most of the opportunity. Long may it continue…. the one thing i like above all with pards is that wherever he has been they try to play football on the ground but with hughton he preferred the longer option as he had battering rams like nolan and carroll in the team.

    Two completely different teams and managers hard to compare

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  34. Liam – I’m not trying to compare. I’m just asking if getting rid of one and replacing him was, in hindsight, the right call?

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  35. Stardust

    September 26, 2011 at 10:04

    There’s not one way to manage. Hughton was a man who allowed players to be free – a true leader of men imo. Think of the best people you have worked for – they allow and encourage you to be you. Very few respond to an ogre – its lazy mans thinking to demand discipline etc – it usually comes from within. Give me happiness and freedom over discipline and demands any day.

    I cant agree with this utter tripe.
    Freedom and happiness, bless.
    A true leader of men. Bollix. He was dictated to by the players committee.
    Its a lazy mans thinking to demand discipline etc. WTF ? Discipline is vital on the football field.
    This is a pansy boy attitude imho.

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  36. Let’s be honest, it’s early days for both Pardew and the team but I can’t see how anyone can criticise them at this moment in time.

    Certainly, the first few games we got results which I believe were fortunate but the past 2 prem games have proved we can play well and build on the shaky platform.

    It looks a whole lot steadier now.

    I’ve always maintained we would only achieve mediocrity under Ashley who I still believe will sell our assets as soon as there is a buyer.

    At this moment in time, I see no reason why we won’t comfortably finish in the top ten and possibly top 7.

    For this season, top 7 is where we should aim and that’s what I said at the start of the season.
    Anything less is failure. We had the resources to ensure it.

    For me, we are on track to do it without that investment I craved.

    I really hope I’m proven wrong and whilst this form continues I will back them to the hilt.

    Onwards and upwards.

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  37. Toonsy – I would agree it was; however look at the players pards has now in his team so much more technical ability we are already seeing that.
    I personally thought hughton was a cracking lad but out of his depth slightly.
    Im not going to pretend I preferred pards but at least he has more experience at this level.
    So in hindsight yes but unfair on hughton the way he was treated. The next test for pards is doing what none of us would like; to keep HBA and marveux happy on the bench for now 🙂

    What does rile me this weekend is how MOTD have been going on how poor blackburn were; im sorry we just outplayed them in every department. If that was arsenal they would have been salivating

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  38. Liam – What annoys me is that there is very little credit for us at the moment. Not just from the media, but also from some fans who are finding ways to put a downer on things.

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  39. In hindsight it seems to be a great decision. Pardew is getting result and have us playing far far better football. Also we are now not run by Nolan or any players commitee.

    The big thing about the sacking of Hughton is the way it was done and the fact that Chris was so loved by the fans. If CH wasnt so well liked I dont think it would have been as much a deal as it was. He(CH) did have some tactical issue like no subs before 80th minute and we did play a fair amount of high balls to Carroll, effective in some games but not overly exciting. But CH was also extremely well liked by all bar the board, and had a great approach to the press at a time where we needed to be kept out of the tabloid limelight. He got both good and bad results so its hard to predict whether he would’ve done better, but right now Pardew is doing excellent and he is winning over alot fans in the progress. I have always backed him even though I wasnt excited about his arrival, and I think he has done brilliant so far. Long may it continue.

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  40. Toonsy – agree; the media are all happy to harp on about how we will get relegated and run the club down due to lack of investment etc etc but to face the facts and write a decent article about the fact yes we may not continue this run for much longer but in light of the circumstances we are playing good football and keeping pace at the top.

    To be fair I am happy with all the low coverage because we can then quietly carry on our business and keep being written off yet producing the goods.

    The fans who have anything critical and negative to say after 8 unbeaten games are laughable. Yes we dont want to get ahead of ourselves but we deserve to enjoy it while it lasts! we dont get many of these times. Additionally ”fans” who gripe about it should just not bother; i honestly feel that some bask in the air of negativity and failure.

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  41. What does rile me this weekend is how MOTD have been going on how poor blackburn were; im sorry we just outplayed them in every department. If that was arsenal they would have been salivating

    Totally agree. The knives are sharpened and ready for the first oportunity.
    I can hear the press corps grinding their teeth in antisipation of our inevitable demise. It must be killing them to have nothing negative to spew out about us. Ha Ha.

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  42. @toonsy

    I have been away for a bit and missed the criticism of the toon.

    What are they saying ?

    I can only assume they don’t watch the games.

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  43. Anyway, I’m sounding negative about the ‘nay-sayers’.
    Something positive.

    Off topic but on the Blackburn game home support:

    As I sat in the gallowgate end ( a bit drunker than usual) I noticed the atmosphere, the best I’d seen in a while. I was expecting noone to turn up and although it wasn’t a full house it was still a good turn out. I was expecting everyone to be moaning about the crude sign on the east stand, but no. Everyone was in high spirits and expecting a win and I hadn’t felt that in ages.
    The famous Geordie optimism has been slowly depelting in recent years (maybe rightly so) with people being ‘happy with a draw’ etc. But no, a win was a must.

    Get in.

    I love that optimism, it makes us a big club, even if we aren’t. I hope its there at the end of November for Manure, the rich bastards and the almost-as-rich-as-the-rich bastards.

    HWTL

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  44. BB 100% they just hate the fact we are ridiculously well supported and are actually playing nice football and getting results! Ho hum eh? even shearer got in on the act!

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  45. I will give credit to Houghton to where it is due. Moulding and bringing out the best in Andy Carroll in the Championship going into the League. Moving Barton to the right of midfield and helping Nolan gain his confidence again as goal scoring midfielder. But when it came to a point when plan A was not working with the long ball, he struggled. Pardew for starters has a good eye for talent from his days at West Ham, his ability to get a side to play attacking football and also to be well organised from the back. He has helped make S Taylor relevant again and believing in himself

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  46. Toonsy……I don’t want any support from the media/pundits, they said we’d do a Leeds when we went down, they said we’d get relegated last season, they say we’ll struggle this season…..my point being, the feckers are never right, so I really don’t want them to say we’ll do well 😉

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  47. I hope the media continue to not hive us credit. Don’t want players like Simmo getting carried away.

    The team is confident with or without the media at the moment so there will be no positive effects from their praise IMO.

    We are playing a better passing game than we ever did under Hoots and look like a very solid side.

    Also, Ben Arfa tried too hard on Saturday but can be forgiven, he was just desperate to impress.

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  48. although it was harsh on Chris, we would of probably lost on Sat v B’burn whilst under chris. and that was with the saviours, Barton (played terrible y’day) Nolan and Carroll.

    so in hindsight, yes

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  49. @TRoy

    I have been away for a bit and missed the criticism of the toon.
    What are they saying ?

    funny that, the criticism seemed to leave exactly the same time as u 🙂 joke m8

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  50. some reasons Pardew is an upgrade on Hughton –

    – Hughton had an aversion to making substitutes
    – Pardew is proving to be adept at making in-game tactical adjustments. In pretty much every game we’ve been better in the 2nd half
    – Pardew believes in sending young uns out on loan and is pro-active in doing so. Fingers crossed Tavernier will be ready to displace Simpson by the turn of the year……
    – Pardew is seemingly more capable at being the middleman between board and playing staff. Hughton wasnt able to balance these roles and was arguably in thrall to his more senior players

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  51. Toonsy and Nobby… Dunno how to make a thumps up, but there you have it, thumps up ;o)

    Toonsy… Btw, me being from Denmark im not actually quite sure of this, but having heard it used a few times im eager to hear if i got it right… A cockney was a londoner who could hear the bells from the london harbor when the ships came in right?

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  52. On a positive note, it was really pleasing that we got thru saturdays match without picking up any more bookings. (first time this season). A definite improvement in squad discipline, that was needed after picking up 12 yellows already in just 6 prem matches and 18 including the cup games.

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  53. Valle – Something like that. It’s something to do with being born in earshot of Bow Bells although the area is much bigger although it’s still miles away from where Ashley was spawned 😛

    I’m glad some of our fans don’t drive for me if their sense of geography on here is owt to go by 😉

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  54. beardsleys…discipline is better becasue we have better players who can control a game…tiote had 2 do most of the work in central midfield that got him bookings becasue the others couldnt run or get back 2 cover for the rest…up front we have pace and on the wings and cabye helping him out..so he does less work…oberton gives us pace 2 burn on the other wing…marveaux and ben arfa who can change a game and we didnt have that last year…when we had 2 bring on players like smith or gutheri who offered us very little and put us more under pressure which made us lose disipline and focus…

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  55. Discipline often better when you are winning and have the possession and aren’t trying to win the ball back 😉

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  56. Toonsy… I wasnt far off then ;o)

    On subjekt… I feeled that sacking CH was harsh at the time and i have to admit that AP didnt overwelm me at the time neither. I was behind him when he was appointed tho as i am of the opinion that most of our troubles comes from instability, and we need to get behind whatever team and manager we have at the time. Now i have to say that this was a very good appointment in hindsight. AP surely know how to make a team solid and hard to beat, and not only that, he seems to be a very good man manager and tactician. That coupled with the eyes and ears of Carr and the geordie heart of SS and JC gives us a very good platform to build on for years to come. The biggest danger these days are the fickle fans among us and i fear that a few bad results could put pressure on AP from some fans. I have also yet to get fully convinced by MA, not that i think he is out to drain our club financially like some fans. But i do think he makes ruthless decisions that will have done him good in the business world, but in the world of football that can be a dangerous thing with stability important above all else.

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  57. @Liam

    Overview of talksport on the Toon;

    It was brief but included an interview from Pards talking about how we are better than last season, able to keep possession and dictate the pace of the games. He said he was still disappointed with the fact we didnt get a striker but it wasn’t for the want of trying.
    But he praised some of the players including Cabaye and this was supported by Keys and Gray.

    That was about it really.

    They have an interview around midday from Saylor.

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  58. IMO Pards is a better manager I have served under both types of leader and I know CH types are easier to work for, But I know that the Pards type got the best out of me, I dont care what anyone says, discipline is a very important value in life.
    By the way who or what were the negative thinks being said about the club this weekend, Stardy and Toonsy touched on it, but im struggling to remember seeing any of the negativity, and people not being happy ?

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  59. Big Dave… Completly agree… Some people needs a kick up their backside once in a while to keep performing to their best and being nice is simply not enough. There must also be no doubt as to who is the boss or mutiny is just around the corner once one of the powerfull players gets his toes stepped on. I feel that AP is a likeable guy amongst the players, but he will also have their respect and will put anyone who opose him in his place. Something CH would have a hard time doing i would guess? In fact i wouldnt be suprised if it was players such as Nolan, Barton and Smith who stamped down on oposers in CH’s dressing room, but what would happen if any of the first two got unhappy about things?

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  60. Valle I agree with that 100% mate, imo that is when some players become undroppable no matter what form they’re in, and I think I seen that happen a few times under Hoots.

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  61. Well said lads, I think thats spot on. I’m wondering if Stevie Harper said the wrong things to AP aswell, and got put in his place.
    One thing tho I will say about AP, he doesn’t hold a grudge against a player. Does the discipline thing, then moves on. Thats good man management, and gets respect. Expect to see Harps in goal v B’burn.

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  62. I’ve been banging on that Pardew is a street ahead of Hughton for ages….motivationally, tactically, respect wise, vision wise, style of football. Its been an excellent move for us. If Shearer was doing what Pardew is doing, the fans would be in dreamland. Yet the fans never seem to sing this mans praises at the ground ? But maybe i’m wrong,as am relying on TV.

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