The fifth place finish last season has long been forgotten, after all it doesn’t help us this season where we are still yet to secure our top flight status for next season.
From experience, once anyone involved with United has the fans against them then the writing is usually on the wall and they tend not to last too long.
Sporadic good results may temper the frustration in the interim but generally speaking patience wears thinner and thinner as time goes on and each time it takes less and less for fans to get back into the train of thought of wanting whoever it is they want out of of the door.
This is not to say that I think he deserves the sack. I’m not in the “Pardew out” camp just yet, but just because I’m not calling for him to be booted it doesn’t mean that I’m happy about things. I too can see mistakes that are being made (in my opinion) and I can also see that our football isn’t exactly great (understatement) at the moment.
However we are struggling, for whatever reason you wish to pick, and the pressure is on us. Pressure doesn’t lend itself to fast-flowing pretty football like we saw at the tail end of last season. Not this kind of pressure anyway… Instead battling and getting us “over the line” is what is most important.
Pardew has taken some flak for suggesting that avoiding relegation will do for the season given where we are now. I don’t disagree with that and don’t see the problem if truth be told. Disappointing as it is, it’s all we have left to go for in reality and is the difference between 17th and, say 15th, really anything to be bragging about anyway?
Not for me it isn’t…
So it’s been a horrible season and lets say the popular wish is granted and Pardew does get the boot. Who do you replace with him? This is not YOUR choice, it is Mike Ashley’s choice, so try and put yourself in his shoes before rattling off managerial names like staccato bursts of gunfire.
I’m sure there will be someone out there willing to try their hand at managing Newcastle United, but that someone must also be happy with how the club is setup these days. They must be happy with the policies we have in place and must realise that we won’t just throw money at things. They must also make do with having decisions made about their team above their heads and must be willing to not have full control over things. Oh and don’t forget that Alan Pardew is currently the lowest paid manager in the Premier League so I doubt very much that a large pay-check would be guaranteed either…
Like I said, I’m sure there is someone out there who fits the bill perfectly, but realistically the options are a lot narrower than people think. Remember, Pardew himself was plucked out of thin air and I wouldn’t bet against his successor, whether it be sooner rather than later, being of the same kind of ilk.
Maybe it’s better the devil you? Maybe not?
Troy@66-Imo Ashley views it asset wise. Pay 10mil for Cisse and if things go well you can get 20mil for him and success in the interim…buy a coach though, who’s going to buy him out? They would have to be really top draw…and that rules them out from joining in the first place.
Newkie(Quote)
mite as well bring back guilet sexy footy
batty(Quote)
what if we get 4th-6th again next season?
Will everyone then a gree that it was the Europa league that ruined us this season?
Nobby(Quote)
Nobby-not that we will, but yes no doubt he would be lauded once again (although not by a large section of our fans)
The rise and fall of managerial stock is quite funny, MON linked with the manu job years ago, now he’s not cut out for the Prem…
Newkie(Quote)
Troy. One thing I credit Ashley with is that like all successful people he learns from his mistakes. So I would not rule out the possibility that he would pay top dollar for a proven world class coach. I also think that he is very decisive. Once he loses confidence in Parts he will be gone and cheapest won’t come into it.
I don’t want Poyet. Not proven and has IMHO supported Beaver again in yet another fiasco.
Premandup(Quote)
KK and big AL would be a good team for me but nee chance that would ever happen,so i would go for someone with less brown stuff round his gob and likes to play footy the way it should rather than a silver big sam hoof ball
icedog(Quote)
This might sound crazy but after a few if’s
– he doesn’t go to Chelsea
– Ashley decides to pay top-buck for a manger
– He doesn’t see us as too small
I’d love Mourinho to come.
Does any of those 3 hurdles seem jumpable? 😕
Nobby(Quote)
Nobby, that does sound crazy 🙂 🙂
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Nobby-Not a chance pal 😆
Newkie(Quote)
Nobby @82 Blimey mate that would be nice . Actually if he really is that special then why not prove it with a real challenge like the Toon ,the bloke would be a legend if he did and won us silverware. It’s easy to proclaim yourself the special one with star players and millions at your disposal ,try doing it at the Toon I say . 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
Maybe his love of Sir Bob could tempt him lol
KIMTOON(Quote)
Well, the other day commentators were saying Heynckes was still ****ed off with the Bayern board as he wanted another year in the game but is now being forcibly retired..Maybe we could sign him and also kidnap Gotze when the deal goes through towards his last few days, give young Mario and old Jupp the pick of the tyneside lasses as a signing on bonus..
Newkie(Quote)
KIM @85 great minds think a-like,i have always thought that about so called great managers,try it lower down and prove how good your are,thing is sadly its all about money
icedog(Quote)
Sadly Nobby, unless Jose made a promise to SBR on his death bed there is more of a chance of me taking over. Going back to the crux of what Toonsy said, if you’re thinking along the lines of who Ashley would appoint, it’s likely to make for a very depressing list. At the top i see names like Owen Coyle and Mark Hughes.
I’m very much in the PardewOut camp but, like they say better the devil you know.
southerngeordie(Quote)
Ice very true mate.
Just seen an interview with Cisse in the Mail about his days driving an ambulance back in Senegal when he was just 15 . He left school to drive the ambulance and be able to give a little cash to his family. His charity is all about raising funds for an ambulance back home as his city is small with a not too good hospital and so they need one to take folk to dakar where care is better. He talks about seeing people die when he was 15 and how it upset him and how helping the people back home is so important to him .It is so refreshing to see this view on life from a footballer ,what a nice change from the me ,myself and I attitude so often witnessed .
KIMTOON(Quote)
KIM aye saw that,nice to see him buy a full footy kit for a local under 12s team that are going through hard time too,good on yer son
icedog(Quote)
Also seen an interview with Haidara where he’s saying Liverpool won’t be as good without Suarez as he’s their focal point (ROLLS EYES ) When will our players and Pards learn to keep a low profile until after the game.
It may just rally the Dippers to prove a point and’ do it for Luis ‘as it were ,they still have a lot of threats in that team and I really wish we would concentrate on beating them without all the pre gamesmanship that never effin works anyway.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Ice ,Wow did he ,I didn’t know that like, that’s a nice touch .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Nobby @78
If that happen’s then yes, I’d have to admit to being wrong. Highly doubt it’ll happen though.
Troy,
Spot on about paying big cash for a big manager. The most important position we could fill with quality would be a top manager.
JJ(Quote)
KIM he also drove out to a small village to give a young disabled fan a bag of goodies for a welcome letter he got from him,thats the sort of guys we need imo,the young kid in the wheelchair was shocked at the surprise vist
icedog(Quote)
just a manager playing modern football ( short pass and move) like every team today ❗ no ******..long ball for 2 momie striker 🙁 and the most important use players on they re POSITION 👿 HBA (who is just one of better creative player in europe !!!! ) he is a No 10 and he s 100x moore better BEHIND 1 or 2 a STRIKER ❗ .so poyet..l.blanc …girard or zola will be a very very good news for the toons ❗ but forget that …7 years contract is too expensive for a “coach casting ashley s mistack “and still pardew for 5 or 6 years again for sure….relagate or not…**** football or not… i remember a twitt from barton 2 years ago and an article news nolan…they re not to far….ridicul and stupid plan and ambition….
djebs9(Quote)
hard time 🙁 mate
djebs9(Quote)
Ice ,Yeah I knew about that ,it was not long after he came to us wasn’t it.
Got to say I really like the guy ,even if his strike rate hasn’t hit last seasons dizzying heights ,he always gives 100% and you can’t ask anymore imo ,he’s a class act on and off the pitch .
KIMTOON(Quote)
Having read yesterday that Pardew wants to bring in a new coach, I read now that it’s a youth coach he wants. Speechless at the endless bollocks and empty promises coming out of the club.
I would genuinely have no manager instead of Pardew. Anyone else up for that?
georgio(Quote)
Ice/Kim – if only he could stay onside he’d be perfect! 😆 Agree with you both though, he seems a thoroughly decent human being 😉
Sharpy17(Quote)
Pardews tactics are the same as fat sams. So why does Sam get sacked after six months and Pardew is given an 8 yr contract. I just say get someone who plays football and not hoofball.
Len White(Quote)
I know some people have mentioned the likes of Shearer, KK and Clarkie and I don’t really buy into the fairy tale stuff of ex players – I think the KK era was a one off. But I think one ex toon player who I would have welcomed back would have been Gary Speed. I know it can’t happen now so we’d never know but I do think he had the potential to go on to be a good coach or manager.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Good, but wasted call Sharpy.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio – no more wasted than the Mourhino shout I’d say mate 😉
I put my realistic choices forward earlier mate, Speedo just came to mind with people mentioning ex players
Sharpy17(Quote)
Sharpy – I really think there will be no changes. Pardew will be there come August with another couple of signings as effective as Anita and with another season of us moaning and groaning we’ll finish about 10th.
georgio(Quote)
Snippets of his press conference ahead of saturdays game getting released on twitter. He and his thoughts are a million miles from the fans
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
It’s all so depressing thinking about all things that have gone wrong this season and it’s not over yet:( .At some point we must surely put in a brilliant performance ,so hopeing it’s this saturday ,lord knows we’ve waited long enough ,who knows we might even score from a corner /set piece!!.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Kim, I’m not the only one who won’t be holding their breath. Our record from restarts this season seems absolutely impossible.
georgio(Quote)
Georgio ,it’s mental mate ,I mean the laws of average say at some point you would score from at least one corner ,even sunday leaguers manage it.
KIMTOON(Quote)
On the corners and set pieces i am sure i read this week Pardew says we don’t score or look dangerous because we only have two people who are a threat Saylor and Sissoko. Both are man marked he said. So why the hell do we persist with crossing the ball at every opportunity. Someone once said stupidity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results
Toby le Rhone(Quote)
Lets put paid to this myth that “the options are a lot narrower than people think.” Why wouldn’t a potential candidate be happy with the policies we have in place? We can’t compete financially with the likes of City, Chelsea, PSG etc. They will have the first choice of managers. But, generally speaking, we will have the choice of almost all of the rest.
“Oh and don’t forget that Alan Pardew is currently the lowest paid manager in the Premier League so I doubt very much that a large pay-check would be guaranteed either…” Why the doubt? Ashley wanted a particular manager but wasn’t simply prepared to paying the going rate for Premier League managers. Why should he when he knows he can get the man he wants for so much less? If he wanted a different manager tomorrow, he would pay what he needs to secure him and no more. Where does it follow that he would pay the same as he is paying Pardew?
Prem rightly says, “One thing I credit Ashley with is that like all successful people he learns from his mistakes. So I would not rule out the possibility that he would pay top dollar for a proven world class coach.” “Once he loses confidence in Parts he will be gone and cheapest won’t come into it.” That point is obvious and common sense, but it seems it needs stating and re-stating on here.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
I gather Pardew said before the West Brom match “no excuses” and then went on to complain about the bobbly pitch after another dire showing! After finishing fifth last season, he has set a target for next season (two years on) of top 10. Big Wowza!
The next manager must not be the author of a book of excuses and must have some real ambition.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
TLR @ 110 Exactly fella! Further proof he hasn’t got a clue. His answer is not to play to his team’s strengths, using what he has got, but to carry on regardless and rue the fact that he is missing Big Andy.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
what the fk is going on at the toon,cissie has flown back out to france
icedog(Quote)
Laurent Blanc really is the perfect choice and i think would be the right step for both club and manager.
Rafa Benitez could do wonders at this club as well.
Pardew OUT!!!
Santii(Quote)
It was 40yrs ago today that I went to my first match at SJP, we drew 0-0
with Everton.
Little did I know that I would suffer 40yrs of hurt.
Re Pardew, he is doomed to failure if he persists with his inflexible 4-2-3-1
formation and negative tactics.
Get rid in the summer for me.
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
i know players need time to settle but how can players settle when they are played in four diff areas of the pitch as in anita case,but pardew prefers to by-pass m/f,pardew fails on many fronts imo
icedog(Quote)
Happy ANZAC day AMF @21. Well done mate. As for the never ending Pardew debate I still think he deserves a few months next season to show what he can do. I haven’t been impressed with him for quite a while but unless Ashley grows a set all of a sudden it won’t help to sack him and bring in the owner’s brother-in-law or someone like that. As many of us have said though, next season will be the decider. If we play poorly for the first 3 months Pardew will have to go and it will be up to Ashley to hire someone of quality. How could it be otherwise? Would the supporters accept another poor season such as this one? Absolutely not.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
I’ve read that Pardew wants to meet with the supporters after the season is over to explain the team’s poor performance. What would be the point to that? It would just be a case of listening to another endless list of excuses from the man. For me Pardew should just admit it has been a terrible season and then get to work making sure we are greatly improved for the next one. Is he capable of it though? I still think we will get to find out. Ashley will only sack him if things go poorly again next season. And I certainly hope Premand and others are correct when they say Ashley will learn from previous managerial mistakes and bring in someone of high quality. Surely it’s the only way to go?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Laurent blanc doesn’t care about the training side of the game and wants complete control of transfers, don’t see how he will ever be considered by Ashley.
Newkie(Quote)
Ice@114 ,He’s gone to get Laurent Blanc and bring him back to St James’s to show Pards what to do 😉
KIMTOON(Quote)
G2 @119 agree mate its pointless plus i think they will be set qes you can ask i bet there will be no off the cuff qes
icedog(Quote)
KIM i wish @121
icedog(Quote)
Kimtoon @121 😆 Icedog @122 yes that sounds about right mate. We get enough of the Pardew view of the world with all the interviews. I think by now the supporters know what he will say. It won’t help improve the squad or improve the supporters’ mood. What would improve our mood would be to see some excellent performances in the last 4 games, then quick off the mark next season.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Pardew has said on the Cisse injury: “I don’t know where that rumour came from, he has trained all week and he has trained well all week.”
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
@indykaila: #NUFC officials have made early enquires on Rafael Benítez according to club sources. Alan Pardew future unclear and talks are planned.
3hourswasted(Quote)
3HOURS , That indkaila is a wum ,no way that’s true.
KIMTOON(Quote)
The Johnstone Paints Trophy winner is hoping to have his much heralded book of hilarious excuses on general sale in time for Christmas. He’s already started on the Liverpool chapter with this early classic for Saturday: “For us, he doesn’t play and I suppose that is helpful, but I’m sure it will only enthuse Liverpool’s players to show that they can play without him.” 😛
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
An interesting rumour 3HW @126. It doesn’t sound that unrealistic. Benitez has a proven track record, he can definitely manage at this level, and he knows how to manage players of all nationalities. Would he get a fair chance with us? I would have to think so. It actually makes some sense so I wouldn’t completely dismiss it. Still it could just be wishful thinking.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Sounds like you’ve seen some rumours from indykaila before Kimtoon. What do you think of Benitez as a manager? I’m not sure how he would take to Newcastle but surely his record is better than Pardew’s? I’m probably grasping at straws here. I’m very frustrated with Pardew by this stage of the season and sick of his sound bites. He’s looked like a ghost standing there, frozen with a grim look many times.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
GeordieTwo . This fella is an independent journalist (unlike our chum Warris) he has called a lot right and like all journos also gets a lot wrong. You pay your money and take your choice. It may be just putting two and two together – Pardew under pressure, Benitez definitely leaving Chelsea.
IF it happens it will be very quick I expect and I would think Ashley may see it as an opportunity to step up and bag a proven Premier League manager that’s won stuff. It wouldn’t surprise me if there was something in it but whether Ashely will she’ll out the wages necessary and whether Benitez would be tempted is another matter.
3hourswasted(Quote)
G2 ,Yeah he’s always tweeting bollocks mate. As for Rafa I’m not totally sure he’s right for us and not sure he’d like not having control over who gets signed either.
KIMTOON(Quote)
Rafa Benitez: overall winning percentage, 52.5%; Liverpool winning percentage, 56%. Not too shabby compared to Pardew. Surely a step up for us? If Ashley is willing to spend tens of millions per year on players wages surely he’ll peg out for a proper manager? We had better hope so at some point.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
That would be my biggest fear Kimtoon @132, that Rafa would insist on greater control over the club than Ashley would be willing to give him. But no top manager is going to agree to just be a glorified coach. Ashley will have to learn that and adjust to it. He can still sack any manager if he’s not happy with the way things are going and he always has control of the purse strings as well so what is the problem?
GeordieTwo(Quote)
Wouldn’t say no to Benitez but we would end up with the French replaced by the Spanish.
Looks more of a tactician than Pards but who doesn’t.
Blanc would do for me or Moyes if we could get him.
Toon fan in Sunderland(Quote)
Benitez’s worse aspect is transfers. Keep him away from those and he might be ok. Not really sure how that would work either.
Pretty bad timing to release that when we’re not even safe. What does pards care now? He will get his payout one way or another, in fact he will get it sooner and for certain if he gets us relegated…
Newkie(Quote)
At Newcastle Ashley and Carr have main say on transfers so Benitez in the main wouldn’t get involved in spotting the players at least .
The one thing we don’t want is waiting until Xmas and then Benitez, Moyes if he moves all have jobs and we will then get someone in no better than Pardew
I’m past caring about who we get at the minute I just want Pardew gone to start with.
Toon fan in Sunderland(Quote)
Rafa Bentez said before he took the Chelsea Job, He wanted to get back into management at a team that will be a project. Then Chelsea offered him a good pay day no doubt 😀
Santii(Quote)
B&B The cold draught has appeared again. Must go until he disappears. Enjoy his craic folks. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Grown Man everybody 🙄 😳 😆
Santii(Quote)
TFIS: “At Newcastle Ashley and Carr have main say on transfers …” How do you know that and what do you mean by “main say”? Surely Ashley’s not going to sign a player the manager doesn’t want? There was a brouhaha over Xisco a few years ago, and so everybody now thinks that’s what happens.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
Troy, don’t run off man, even your back and forth essay posts with B+B would be a welcome change to all the morbid posts around these days. 😉
Newkie(Quote)
b&b.. what do you think about hatem ben arfa postion on wings ? and about his potential impact on a free creative work behind cisse ?
djebs9(Quote)
I think it’s going to be an interesting summer. I hope Ashley doesn’t approach it like last summer but surely he has learned his lesson? I’m never sure with him but if he can’t see we need another quality striker I think most of us will only get more frustrated. Some big questions for the summer: what to do with Tiote? Keep him, sell him? What to do with Shola? Send him to the glue factory? What to do if we get big offers for players like Cabaye or Krul? How to get more out of Cisse? How to keep Ben Arfa (and keep him fit)? Who among the youngsters will develop enough to make the bench? I hope Ashley doesn’t disappoint us.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
KIMTOON says:
April 25, 2013 at 18:36
As for Rafa I’m not totally sure he’s right for us and not sure he’d like not having control over who gets signed either.
—————————-
I agree. I’m sick of the drama and you know Rafa and DL/MA would have a very public row at some point during the first transfer window.
MDS(Quote)
re b&b : last news …”hba pushing hard and well for start against liverpool” …says “mr his majesty tactician special zero alan pardew” …
djebs9(Quote)
gordietwo…i m afraid ashley and pards be quiet this summer…i think they re going to keeping all players … maybe changing medical staff …but shola and tiote should be stay … it s the plan i m afraid 😳
djebs9(Quote)
DJEBS9 if you’re right and very little happens this summer then it will only get more difficult for Pardew to hang on. If he gets 2 or 3 more decent players and still fails to improve our performances he is also sure to be sacked. Pardew had better hope he can motivate the players next season no matter what.
GeordieTwo(Quote)
DJEBS9 – The Johnstone Paints Trophy winner says, “Every day Ben Arfa’s getting closer.” “He’s worked a lot better this week.” “And we’re hopeful that he’s going to make more of an impact, whether he starts or whether he comes off the bench, than he has in previous games.”
I don’t understand why Pardew was surprised to see Benny had got himself unfit? It wasn’t the first time Pardew’s raised questions over his fitness. It is Pardew’s job as the manager to manage such things so that Benny maintains his fitness, especially as he is the club’s star player. Managers are meant to manage.
Anyway, what does he mean “make more of an impact”? He has made an impact when Pardew’s allowed him on the pitch and when he’s been supplied the ball. He can’t make an impact on the bench.
Pardew doesn’t know whether Benny’s going to start or come off the bench. He should have started every game and put in 100% for as long as possible. That way he would have been fitter, quicker. You certainly don’t put him on the bench and then put Shola on ahead of him in the biggest game of the season.
I’d play Benny wherever he considers is his best position. For me, it’s down the left but with a freedom to roam.
Blackley & Brownlie(Quote)
It’s a good point about the drama MDS @145. Still in order to improve we need a better manager. I think it’s going to come down to that. And that means Ashley will have to recognize a good manager when he sees one and not just someone who will keep his mouth shut and do what he’s told. It’s not ideal for us is it?
GeordieTwo(Quote)