From fans to aspirations to transfer policy, name changes and ownership, Pardew has given a frank and honest assessment of what he thinks of life at Newcastle United currently.
Heading into his third Tyne-Wear derby, Pardew is coy and insists he knows what it means to the fans because he has Newcastle fans working with him behind the scenes in the form of John Carver and other backroom staff. That gives him the edge and helps him understand what is going on around Toon he says.
“There’s nothing I don’t know about what’s going on in the town – how they feel about us, how they feel about the club, how they feel about removing the sign at the ground, how they feel about the performance at Spurs and how they feel about this game.”
On John Carver he adds: “He gives me the psyche of the fan. He’s generally grumpy about something, he will always come in and have a gripe, in a nice way.”
Pardew then spoke of his credentials for the job and his aspirations for what Newcastle United should be achieving in the future plus what he essentially defines as failure.
“I had a good record, good experience, I worked well with young players – and I want to win something,” Pardew, now 50, explains.
“I don’t want to finish ninth in the Premier League. There will be a season, somewhere down the line, when ninth will be ‘thank god for that’. That season will come – a run of injuries, it’s not working, you get sucked into a war down the bottom and the middle of the table will seem like a haven.”
“But, for this football club, that shouldn’t be success. We should strive for better than that and we play in front of 52,000 fans, that will always attract players, we have to use that to our advantage. If I was a player, I’d like to play in our team. The most important thing is to have a team that looks like it’s going forward and we have that.”
He had this to say about Mike Ashley:
“Speaking to Mike he feels he will be the owner for a long time and that’s why I wanted a long contract,” Pardew says.
“This is his football club and he’s taking a longer-term view now. It’s hurt him, this club, he couldn’t understand how it works – the agents, the salaries, the industry. Compared to the industry he is in and is the main man and knows exactly how it works.”
“I know for a fact he can tell you the price of something on his shelves to the penny. That’s how thorough he is. But you can be thorough in this game and get it all wrong if you have bad selection, advice and that’s what he’s trying to cover.”
“He trusts managing director Derek Llambias to run the club, Graham Carr as chief scout, me as manager. Now he is feeling a lot better about the football club. He now understands the game. When we negotiate with clubs and players we are pretty tough and you need to be in this financial climate – as Rangers and Portsmouth have shown. The model we have got is a good model for these times.”
On the St James’ Park name change he added: “He does what he feels is right, it’s not a conscious decision to upset the fans,” Pardew argues. “He’s quite bullish, of course, and people don’t like change and changing the name of the stadium, it’s about raising revenue. It’s still St James’ Park to the fans and will stay that way.”
“There are sound economic reasons. We have to move with that otherwise we won’t be able to keep our players. For me, it’s difficult. I want to represent the fans, that’s what I do as manager, and I want to also say to the owner ‘I want the best possible team’ which is what he wants also.”
Will that model allow us to keep hold of some of our bigger players if the top clubs come calling in the summer? That is something Pardew is still cautious about predicting.
“If I can keep the same group of players I wouldn’t worry,” Pardew adds. “But will I be able to keep my best team? We are vulnerable to bigger clubs and you can’t get away from that with the salaries they offer.”
Now people will jump on that statement and view it as a bad thing, but is it really so outlandish? I mean all he is essentially saying is that bigger clubs pay bigger wages, which is fact is it not? I wrote an article recently, which you can view here incidentally, highlighting the gulf between our finances and those of the teams above us so when you look at it like that he is only stating fact.
Of course he could say that nobody is going anywhere, but he did that with Andy Carroll and look what happened…
Anyway, back to the article in question, and Alan Pardew insists that Newcastle aren’t focussed on Europe, at the moment anyway.
“We are not focused on that,” he said.
“We are focused on the next six games because if we are in the running for a top six place in six games times then we will really give it a go – whether that’s the Europa League or even the Champions League. But the next six games are key. Now is the time when the top teams get into gear, so are we going to get into gear?”
And finally, on the rather large game this weekend, Martin O’Neill and the strength of North-East football, Pardew had this to say:
“It’s good for the area,” he says of the resurgence of both clubs.
“They are probably looking at our results and we are looking at theirs but it’s not about Newcastle finishing above Sunderland. For me, it’s about finishing higher than we did last year, to progress and have a great season.”
“He’s done an unbelievable job,” Pardew says of Martin O’Neill. “I saw him a couple of times in a social environment before he went to Sunderland and I thought he looked ready to return. Taking the job has inspired him.”
Good words from Alan Pardew. No flannel, just how it is!
Decent interview from Pards, we’ll always be vulnerable to ‘big’ clubs stealing outs players. much like ****, man u are vulnerable to barca and real madrid stealing theirs …. just part of life
stevep(Quote)
he’s really settling down to the job – and trying to get into our psyche.
he’s making all the right noises – good p r man
tattyheed(Quote)
Very interesting read that…. lets hope he sets the team up to smash the mackems 😆
Liam Southern Toon(Quote)
Pardew has always made the right noises. He’s getting the press onside as well, which means they ar elikely to write negative stuff about us.
I also seem to remember him being asked about the mackems resurgence on the radio some weeks ago and he said, “We don’t talk about Sunderland up here.” Quality 🙂
Susan Boyle(Quote)
I like Pardew, always talks a good game.
Rorycn(Quote)
correction – [means they are NOT as likely…]
Here’s the link to what was said…
http://www.themag.co.uk/top-stories/pardew-%E2%80%93-we-don%E2%80%99t-talk-about-sunderland/
Susan Boyle(Quote)
Yeah have to agree twas a pretty good interview, and I do think by being media friendly they are less likely to make up ****, because they know they might get turned away the next time they’re looking Pards to talk.
On his bit about being under threat from bigger clubs I think that is a problem for all clubs in the world apart from a couple.
Big Dave(Quote)
Cleverly ducks opinion on controversy–ie name change. Nothing new in this, but note that we have been slipping of late, and 6 games is a long time in football. Easy with hindsight I know, but think he’s made several tactical blunders recently– eg attacking line up against Spurs and Fulham. Dropping Guthrie in favour of not match fit Cabaye against Wolves. Ben Arfa and Guthrie seem disillusioned judging by body language v Wolves? Santon not yet sound enough defensively, so could Pardew not have tried out Ferguson or returned to Raylor there, or tried playing both on the left and shifting Jonas to the right to replace erratic Obertan and prop up too slow Simpson? Good decisions– using Shola as an impact 20 minute
sub; sending too slow Vuckic on loan. Should finish in top 7 but form of late does not suggest that.
H(Quote)
I might be stating the obvious here, but I think what he means by being vulnerable is not that Ashley is so profit concious that he’ll sell anyone and anything, more he means the players [& agents] are greedy tw*ts and will always move if a bigger pay-day is available….loyalty is nowhere in their psyche, although you can’t really blame them, because the clubs and fans will soon drop\get rid of a player who they think is not at his peak any more.
JoeSoap(Quote)
Cooooooooome onnnnnnnnnn!!!!
Get in to them – FOOK THEM UP!!!!!!!!
Toon Chicken(Quote)
H, Cabaye was match fit against wolves.
He was interviewed for the paper last friday and actually said ‘I am fully fit for the wolves game’.
Also, Guthrie had one of his worst games for us when he did come on so Cabaye was the best decision.
I think Pardew tactically has been generally sound up until recently. At the start of the season we were very patient and passed the ball between our back four and midfield a lot before working a bit of space for the front lads. Now we seem very impatiant and opt for a direct pass… this is all well and good if it comes off but wolves’ defenders were disgustingly all over Ba for long passes and other teams have worked out that if they get on Ba for the long ball they’ll cancel us out.
Nobby(Quote)
Nobby said “worked out that if they get on Ba for the long ball they’ll cancel us out”….Absolutely agree there Nobby, but surely that’s where Cisse & even HBA can capitalise?
JoeSoap(Quote)
Whenever we tried to play it through the middle on the ground wolves had at least 5 players crowding their penalty area, the wingers need to draw them out and that wasn’t happening. The secret is accurate passing and I think our passing in recent games has been abysmal
JoeSoap(Quote)
What wolves game?
😀
I hope The team Will turn up for a second half against The mackems, because those guys from The second part of The game against wolves were not footballers…
Danishtoon(Quote)
Joe our passing is sh1te apart from the 1st 15mins against wolves it looks like we can’t pass the ball more than twice .
Big Dave(Quote)
My Poem about the Derby:
On Sunday we ‘welcome’ the Mackems
Can’t wait till our lads gan Nak’em
The Toon, you’d be mad not to back’em
Coz at 12 noon we’ll gan nak the Mackems
With Dem-Ba Ba and Papiss Cisse
Sco-ring for fun all fucking day
We’ll make their defense look so gay
Will Krul let goals in? I’ll say Nay.
With Cabaye and Tiote about
Their midfield will not have a shout
Cat-ter-mole will just cry and pout
When Tiote takes that daft c*nt out
So we’ll Welcome those filthy scum Mackems
Those Cheesy chip eating scum Mackem’s
‘Let’s gan shag m’sister’ scum Mackems
‘Wheese keys are these?’ DIRTY MACKEMS!
😉 😆
SMB…. HWTL 😈
Nobby(Quote)
Nice Nobby…
Danishtoon(Quote)
Quality Poem Nobby 🙂 🙂
Seen this on facebook …class:
Choose Peter Beardsley on New Year’s Day, 1985. Choose “Happy New Year” chanted by every man, woman and child in SJP. Choose Kevin Nolan’s chicken dance on Halloween 2011. Choose hard vowels. Choose Scott Sellars in the rain. Choose David Kelly’s “spawny goal” at the Leazes End. Choose Emre’s cracker in the 3-2. Choose Titus Bramble getting a red card. Choose Howard Gayle and Gary Bennett losing the plot and being sent off. Choose Terry Butcher and his “commandos” on Barrack Road. Choose Gordon Armstrong crying with temper. Choose watching their away following fucking off at 3-0. “Sun’lun Til Half Time!” Choose talking about various Mackem stunts at SJP (latest being Sports Direct bags – well, they all dress in the gear anyway at SJP on Sunday) but never quite organising them properly. Choose Michael Owen’s brace. Choose Craig Bellamy after 83 seconds. Choose Alan Shearer in a head bandage lining up a free kick. Choose Tommy Cassidy’s volley in 1980. Choose fucking hell, its Paul Cannell in 76. Choose highly polished black DM boots with white laces. Choose doing them 3-1 the day after doing them 6-1 at Roker. Choose listening to their lies about a march from the Monument to SJP at some undefined time in history. Choose the Regional Capital. Choose Black & White and choose the Geordie identity. Choose Grey Street. Choose the Tyne Bridge. Choose the Angel of the North. Choose a walk over the Millennium Bridge on a summer’s morning. Choose knowing any wins they get are rare and will be thoroughly avenged. Choose any number of brilliant pubs. Choose our city’s ancient history. Choose the Old Leazes. Choose the old orange crush barriers. Choose the Gallowgate Corner. Choose the Mental Benches. Choose your first game with your parents and then choose taking your own child. Choose the Portakabin executive boxes and their steamed up windows. Choose snowball fights in the Gallowgate. Choose a mass sit down in the old Leazes. Choose the Milburn Paddock. Choose stamping feet on the wooden boards of the old West Stand. Choose the East Stand Popular Side. Choose the Milburn-Leazes wing, late 80s/early 90s. Choose the Gallowgate Scoreboard. Choose climbing on top of the roof on Leazes Terrace and watching the match for nowt. Choose “Holidays in the Sun” at The Farmer’s Rest 10 mins before KO. Choose black gazelles with three white stripes. Choose Wyn Davies. Choose Shola Ameobi – cometh the hour, cometh the man! Choose a real bear-pit derby atmosphere. Choose seeing the Mackem players shitting it. Choose Steve Bruce crying his eyes out about a record. Choose their loud mouth, know nothing fans shouting the odds. Choose town after the 5-1. Choose Newcastle United …
geordieqatar(Quote)
Great headline Toonsy. It’s the sort of sentence ‘forged in hell’ that only Pardew could come up with. Like a less eloquent Donald Rumsfeld mixed with John Prescott.
I like Pardew so far as a front man and link to the press and fans – he generally does much more right than wrong these days.
I think it started to work for him around the time of his handling of the Joey Barton Twitter saga. He seemed to find his mojo then and has been pretty good ever since.
What we need to see now is whether he has the managerial ability to get the team out of this slump in form in spite of the fairly meagre squad he has available to him (compared to the clubs we are challenging for Europe).
And after that we need to see if he is able to persuade Ashley to build around our best players and invest in improving the squad.
Only time will tell. So far though, I think he’s doing quite well.
Pootle(Quote)
Our passing has been awful.
A goalkeeper or defender should never launch the ball into the opponents half unless time is running out or a great pass has been spotted.
The ball should always be passed through the team.
We give possession away far too often by hoofing it.
geoff777(Quote)
That’s true Geoff. And as good as Pardews interview sounds, the PR is only part of the job.
I guess we will be able to gauge him better as a manager when we see what he does to improve our passing and general play now things are starting to look a bit trickier and now that more teams have cottoned on to our weaknesses.
Pootle(Quote)
Geordie qater…. absolutely quality.
I’ll be sharing that myself!
Nobby(Quote)
The other thing missing from the wolves game second half was GRIT! They wanted it more and were challenging every ball, they also passed it better than us aswell
JoeSoap(Quote)
Pardew had better get them well up for it at the weekend because they certainly will be, and the consequences of not challenging them for everything, doesn’t bear thinking about!
JoeSoap(Quote)
Good interview and I think its good to see Pardew and the club is ambitions. Yes he played it safe and wouldnt of rocked the boat with either club or the fans but that is part of his role as manager in my view , esp with how majority of the fans ( imo ) feel towards the board. The weekend is clearly a massive game , not just casue its against the unwashed but if we win it could give us the springboard to finish the season strong intsead if fizzling out like its threanting to do at the moment.
Johno Toon(Quote)
The timing of this interests me like.
Good words, honest and to the point whether it’s what we want to hear or not (referring to this being Ashleys club and him being in long term) little bit of sick in my mouth reading that part like.
But the truth is, if the result goes to wrong way at the weekend this will count for squat!!
The good thing is that the players know what this game means to the fans, the only new addition to the team from the WIN earlier this season is Cisse and he just seems to want to score goals whoever it may be.
My concern is that they are likely to come and shut up shop, and if we show the same level of offensive desire as we did against Wolves it could make for a long and boring game.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Thing is Nobby, Cabaye was fit, not match fit– he hadn’t played for 3 games, and Guthrie, who was only on for a short period, had already seemingly taken his bat home, having in my view done well since coming in this season. . No, there will inevitably be some discontent in any squad, and HBA (prima donna??) and Guthrie are probably disillusioned at present. Not convinced Cabaye is that much better than Guthrie anyway– as long as Tiote is mopping up behind.
H(Quote)
So what he’s basically saying is that we’re going to sell all our big players in summer…this a soften the blow exercise & nothing more
witters(Quote)
This interview will go down like a **** sandwich on .org
witters(Quote)
Pardew should have been a politician for the “let’s please everyone party”. 😯
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Great interview ?
Yeah right !, the guy is an accomplished bullshitter.
A one trick pony, with his 4-4-2, eight men defending tactical approach, which never changes.
Playing people like Raylor on RW with HBA sitting and letting Santon sit for most of the first part of the season, with the same Raylor playing LB.
The guy is clueless with a one tactical approach fits all game and has yet this season shown an ability to change tactics, wheras only last week the rookie Wolves manager had his team change their approach in the second half and outplayed us.
The same with Jol & Fulham, once the opposition figure out whats going on
they adjust their game, with no answer from Pardew..
What we need is a manager with a little nous, who can pick both a lineup and a tactical plan best suited to play whoever the opposition is, horses for courses and believe it, pardew aint that guy.
Chuck(Quote)
Cracking interview 🙂
toonsy(Quote)
Chuck…fack off back to where you belong!!
witters(Quote)