Now its looking likely that today will be the day where Pardew is announced as manager of Crystal Palace after United released a statement saying that a compensation deal had been agreed and Pardew now had permission to speak to the Eagles.
On the surface it looks a strange move – Palace look likely to be fighting relegation while Newcastle look to have done enough to remain safe – but if you scratch a little deeper then perhaps the switch from Newcastle to London makes more sense than you perhaps first think.
It’s unlikely we’ll even find out the real reason why and all theories are likely to be just speculation, but from a Pardew perspective he gets to move closer to ‘home’ at a club with lower expectations with a fanbase who he immediately has an affinity with. Effectively he’s in a no-lose situation with Palace backed by the bookies to occupy a relegation spot so if he guides Palace away from that he’s a winner but if he doesn’t he can argue it was expected all along.
From a Newcastle fan perspective it’s also probably the right move although there is, quite rightly in my opinion, concern over who will succeed Alan Pardew. I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest those looking for a Benitez/Bielsa/De Boer type appointment are most likely setting themselves up for a disappointment.
However the fact is that many people have had enough of Alan Pardew. The questionable tactics, the long losing streaks, the thumping defeats, the derby defeats, the Mike Williamson corner routine, among other things have led us to a point where change is viewed as a good thing.
Of course this is “grossly unfair” as Alan has done a “good job” according to pundits who question the unruly nature of our support, which I’ll disprove in my next article. Remember, we finished fifth once a few years ago and we should be thankful for that. The truth is that we are, but since then we’ve gone backwards and you can’t dine out on a fifth placed finish forever.
Perhaps it’s also a good move for the club? They messed up by giving Pardew a large contract after a fifth placed finish and it would have cost a lot to move him on. Now they are being paid for someone else to move him on. Not bad business is really?
Of course you could look at it another way. Maybe Pardew has had enough and knows something about January that we don’t. Remember the transfer window opens up soon. Perhaps he knows there is no money to be spent? Maybe he knows that one or two players might be moved on? Maybe he doesn’t want to be the scapegoat again?
Which gets back to what I was saying earlier about speculation. There are potentially any number of reasons for the move ranging from Pardew’s choice to the choice of the club. What is clear though is that it is happening and soon United will be looking for a new manager.
The big question is who will it be?
Good article. But the big question is, will the same people who knocked Pardew for his tactics and style, be knocking the new manager for the same reasons within 6 months.
Another average manager means average tactics and the merry go round keeps spinning.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Happy Pardew is going…..Worried about Ashley’s next move.
An experienced “Head coach” that is happy to have minimal say on transfers and get the best out of the players he has would seem the best option to work with the current set up.
Ashley is always ready to suprise though…Hold onto your hats!
Oblong(Quote)
Troy , You really really need to change the record mate. Fact is no manager will be exempt from mass criticism during the course of a season, we are no better or worse than any other set of fans. Christ ,look at the stick Wenger was getting quite recently and those fans constantly get to see their team in the CL, NOW THAT’S a set of fans who need to give their heads a serious shake not us mate. Considering we have been waiting so long for a bit of glory and given how many still turn up on match day I reckon we’re entitled to a moan now and then .
kimtoon(Quote)
Troy ,Also what happens if you can’t stand the next manager, can you honestly say you will give him your backing?
Toonsy, thanks, very good article .
kimtoon(Quote)
What does it say about our mighty club that we are now in competition with palace and west brom for managers?
Pardew would rather go to palace than stay at the biggest club he will ever manage in his life.
Allegedly he is receiving double the wage control on transfers etc.
I can understand him leaving though none other than the fact that he and his family live locally. Newcastle is a long way away and being a family man you can understand why he would do it.
Liam southern toon(Quote)
Pullis to the Baggies apparently.
kimtoon(Quote)
Liam, Don’t be daft, it’s the fans that forced him out, nasty sods that we are. As if living with his family and managing his beloved Palace with more pay would ever come into it, behave yourself 😉
kimtoon(Quote)
Agreed Kim
Pardew got a lot of backing, even through some tough times…We all understood the situ with him getting the sack. It wasnt just Troy and Stu who feared ‘a worse manager would come in’. we all knew there could be consequences.
BUT as the article suggests, a change is a good thing….
HE left us…for Palace. the best way out for Alan imaginable
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
great article Toonsy buy the way. hope u & the family had a good crimbo..
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
😳 by the way
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
Good riddance. But Ashley will choose the cheap option and the circus will continue.
hitman(Quote)
Hitman, of that we can be certain
kimtoon(Quote)
Mark, I never much cared for him and didn’t think he was the right fit for our club and his constant blather drove me nuts. Still I’m under no illusions that someone much better will come in. We need the parasite that owns us to go forth and multiply.
kimtoon(Quote)
If Colo gets the job then I truly despair. When you consider he doesn’t have the badges to manage us in Europe then he’s probably odds on.
kimtoon(Quote)
I’ve heard its Pedro and collo till the end of the season, don’t know if its true like.
hitman(Quote)
Kim
Stop making excuses for yourself. You are just as bad as the wenger knockers.
You cried on for Pards to leave. Let’s see what you do when the replacement comes in and he makes mistakes. You’ll want him out within a year or so.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Toonsy good read, and if he does go im sure it will be the cheap option that Jabba will go for.
Or maybe he is planning on turning a new leaf in the new year
Big Dave(Quote)
I think the biggest question to be asked is – should any man have to wake up to a picture of a young Alan Pardew in tight shorts? 😥 👿
Toonsy – cheers fella, good to see you on.
Kim – I don’t think Pullis is an option for us as one of his terms is to have full control over transfers – it’s why he left Palace and Sky are reporting that it’s one of his conditions speaking to WBA.
Bruce likes to sign English, which doesn’t really fit our transfer policy.
Sherwood is a gobby *****, but then so is JFK and Wise, so it would depend on whether he’d sing to Ashleys tune – to get the chance of managing a top PL side, he might well.
If Ashley truely wants to run the club by developing the youth, the Frank De Boer is the right choice – but I don’t see that happening unfortunately.
So then who?!.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Let us not forget the abuse Carver and Stone got as well, by the same people.
What will the knockers say if they are appointed until the end of the season? Oh the whinging will be deafening.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Sharpy
Exactly. Who? You’ve had plenty of time to think whilst plotting Pards demise.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Haha plotting Percy’s demise..you have missed the point of being a football fan,all fans are fickle,there will be fans at Chelsea manu that don’t want there managers there.that’s part of being a football fan we all have opinions.plus Percy had a **** poor record here,and it looks like he wanted to leave.
hitman(Quote)
Troy you certainly are a hypocrite. . You call for Ashley to sell up and **** off with no care for the fact that we may get a worse owner but you call people out for doing the same with managers.. unbelievable. . 😡
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Brett Strength
You suggest change is a good thing.
Really? You don’t sound convincing. Throughout the whole time you’ve slagged him, you haven’t come up with a realistic replacement which could do a better job. You even doubt Mikey will appoint one.
Pardew has successfully kept us in the league and met most of his targets. Basing Mikeys previous appointments, they certainly don t guarantee you survival. To the contrary.
We’ll see how long it takes you to call for the next manager to be sacked. Won’t be long will be my guess
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Hitman
They are called Clueless though. You even said it. Football fans are fickle. That’s exactly what you are.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Aussie aussie aussie. Perlease. 😯
All I’ve said about Ashley selling up is offer it at a realistic price and see who comes forward. How do you know who would be interested?
I do know that any manager worth his salt would not touch the toon with a barge pole.
Not a hard concept fella. Just try and get your head out the sand amd smell the coffee. 😛
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy.I’m like every other fan I want the best for my club.but all you care about is a pissing contest.like oz says you want Ashley out but what happens if we end up with worse,there is no difference from fans wanting Percy out.
hitman(Quote)
Nice try Troyocrite… dress it up any way you want fella… you are caught with your pants down and your gob open… let the excuses begin! 😎
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Troy – and rightly so. Should fans not want the best for their club like?!.
Pardew received the bulk of his criticism when we were under performing – granted some hated him always – but the level headed fans critisised when the team was playing poorly. The same will go for any manager as fans want their team to win and get angry and disappointed when they don’t.
Pardews problem at Newcastle has been that he’s gone on runs of loosing games, which breeds and prolongs that anger and disappointment.
We all knew that even after the Chelsea game, we were capable of going on a loosing streak.
I don’t believe any toon fan expects any new manager to come in and win week in week out – we don’t have a top 4 squad.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Hitman
Read my last to Aussie. It’s a totally different scenario.
How do you know who would be interested in buying the club at the market value? Mikey wants to take their eyes out so buyers stay well clear.
£480m was his last asking price.
Offer it for what it’s worth and see who comes forward. I could then judge whether I believe they would be better than Mikey.
Regarding a manager. It’s totally different. We know the structure that a manager has to work under. Realistically, we pay the 9th best wages in the league. Over a period of time, we’ll likely finish on average mid table. We sell our best players. The manager has no say in who comes and goes. What decent manager would put his name to that? The fans expectations are so high that the manager will always be criticised by the Clueless Crew. The fickle fans, which you’ve admitted you are.
I’m not fickle. I see things for what they are. Try being rational. 😉
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Sharpy
Is that not a reflection of how short sighted fans are?
Give managers a decent chance to turn things round. Ask fat Sam. Ask Pardew.
It just makes fans like you look like chumps in the long run. Patience is a virtue.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Troy there are fans out there who think Ashley has done a great job at the club.that’s there opinion,just like fans have there opinion on Percy.right or wrong.that’s football.
Reet off to graft.
hitman(Quote)
Troy , Dead right, glad he’s going mate, not changed my mind one bit. But I reserve the right to moan about who ever replaces him if he’s *****. Which, as I have said is what 99% of all fans at all clubs do.
kimtoon(Quote)
There’s something to be said for a manager who is at a club a long time. They become more confident in the role.
Pardew won a large section of the fans over this season when he bounced back from a sacking campaign to win 5 on the bounce amd took us in the top 4.
The next time he ends up in another bad run, he could draw on that experience. Players will believe in him, when he tells them we will turn the corner.
David Moyes did it at Everton. He was under huge pressure in his second and fifth years. They nearly went down. But he pulled through.
If I thought for one second we were going to see an improvement on what we had then I would get behind it.
All the suggestions so far have been pretty disappointing.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
Kim
I know. You are fickle. I’m pleased I’m not.
Troy Stavers(Quote)
@Troy you certainly like pissing in the wind. 😛 good on ya..Yes, its a good thing. in time we will improve. Pardew may have been here for another 4+ years 😯 if Palace hadnt of thwarted Mikes plans of keeping him forever. Pardew has ditched your loyalty and jumped ship to a **** team, it was the only route for him to take & he knew it.
Throughout the whole time you’ve slagged him, 😯
can you prove that. I have enjoyed good spells with your Alan, never really liked his contain style but I have backed him, similar to how many didnt like FatSams style or some don’t like Pulis, in time they get pig sick of it.. this is that time
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
BRISVEGAS
Good to see you’re still here too!
It’s definitely a shame how our club is perceived by general football fans right now. So we have to just cross our fingers for the next manager because a decent manager appears to have been hounded out…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Gonna have to stop mixing those drinks. Woke up after a bizarre dream that some sap paid us a shed load of real money to take Percy off our hands. Can you imagine hahahahaha
BTW belated happy xmas to all and good article Toonsy, good to see you back
Geordie Deb(Quote)
IF we assume that a top 10 finish was on the cards this season, reasonable given our position Pardew has achieved 12th, 5th, 16th 10th, which is better than anybody except the genius of SBR and the Money backing KK.
Given the sale of Cabaye etc etc I think his record stands scrutiny as well as anybody other than the two already mentioned and as well as some of the wonderkids that are currently failing at other clubs.
I hope to god we do get a better manager in, but looking at the market there are not many near the top
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/football-specials/newcastle/next-permanent-manager
Premandup(Quote)
Troy, I have never understood your love for a manager who dedicates wins to the guy you hate, it’s illogical .
kimtoon(Quote)
Troy: it is time for you to change your tune and stop moaning about other people moaning about Pardew. That is all you ever do, so why not offer something constructive now your mate is off to Surrey?
Why don’t YOU suggest what is needed to move forward instead of just making snarky comments?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The transfer windows is just about to open and now Ashley has the perfect distraction for not improving the squad and selling our best assets. He will be as happy as a pig in **** today.
Trigger(Quote)
Beardsley for me all day long, well respected and has the U21’s going well.
Knows the younger players very well too.
Needs to be done.
BIGPAPA(Quote)
IMO it will be someone in house that will get the job,simply because a new manager will want his own staff that would mean Carver,Stone ect would need big pay offs jabba will not like parting with all that cash as they also are on long contracts as pardew was simples
icedog(Quote)
My god the gob is still open 😆
Troy and B&B two peas in a pod! And they don’t get along.. too alike!! 😆
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Troy, How am I fickle? I have always said I didn’t want him here . And moaning about a future manager who performs badly is my right as it is yours to defend him, that does not equate to fickle though, just an expression of discontent .
kimtoon(Quote)
My money is on Beardsley.
I think Ashley will gamble with us only needing 4 wins until the end of the season to survive then either sell up or reevaluate depending on how we have done.
Beardsley will be justified to the fans by claiming his experience of working with the youngsters who are now in the first team is invaluable.
The favourites for the job are a sad indictment of the club and reflect where our future lies with Ashley.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
Troy – not just fans mate, I would say a reflection on football as a whole.
There is no patience in the pursuit of success in football as a whole –
Owners and Chairmen sack managers left, right and centre. Players leave clubs they are getting regular game time at for bigger clubs where they will sit on the bench and play a handful of games.
You are misdirecting your frustration though mate. The fans haven’t ran Pardew out of town, Pardew is leaving through his own choice. He leaves for a better wage and to return to his homeland – he leaves because Ashley is happy to take £2m for him. If Ashley rated his man then he wouldn’t allow him to leave. If Ashley rated his man he’d give him a pay rise to stay and money to spend.
Pardew doesn’t leave coz the fans hate him, he leaves coz his heads been turned.
Some of the criticism levelled at him was very fair and justified IMO, but some of the insults and blame weren’t – each to their own. Good luck to him I say – we’ve had worse, we’ve had better. I don’t hate the bloke, but I can’t say I’m heartbroken either to be honest.
Sharpy17(Quote)
Can only see us regressing under any of the names currently favourite. For all Pardew’s faults – he willing to take Ashley and the fans ****, gets on with players and when the boat hasn’t been rocked tends to do a decent job.
SolanosTrumpet(Quote)
People…Troy is winding you all up… he will keep doing so unless you call him out like I have and then he will go into hiding… 😳
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Solano at 48 exactly.
Premandup(Quote)
TDS@36, give over mate, don’t be so sensitive, are you really so upset at how the wider football community sees us. Past caring to be honest mate ,bigger fish to fry and all that. Actually I speak to many fans of other clubs and you would be surprised how many feel sorry for us with Jabba at the helm. Pards isn’t as popular outside Toon as you think either.
kimtoon(Quote)
toonsy, welcome back mate. excellent article summing things up perfectlyin my opinion.
football supporters are a fickle lot for sure, and opinions will be split regarding pardew having left the club in the lurch at the most critical time of the season. still, good on him, he needs to look after himself and his family so this is obviously the right move for him personaly.
if pardew had of been happy working for ashley at the toon he would have stuck it out, at the end of the day he took a look at crystal palace and thouht thats it i, m off.
2
the hertbroken fawning of some punters on this blog
Munich Mag(Quote)
Sharpy@47 Perfectly put mate.
kimtoon(Quote)
If the front runner is Sherwood then I would sooner go with Beardsley personally – hell even Colo as player manager!!
I think Sherwood would cause too much unrest with little to show for it.
Sharpy17(Quote)
oops….
heartbroken fawning over pardew has me really shaking myhead in disbelief. managers come and go in football, get over it.
the bloke has left the club in a tricky situation and obviously lied and covred up his true emotions to his players. a pretty good way of showing loyalty to ashley who stood by him through thick and thin whilst giving him the unheard of security of an 8 year contract !
Munich Mag(Quote)
I am not seeing anybody question Pardew’s ambition. He made noises about us being a big club, and yet moves to a small club in London. He might say it is for family reasons, but that is bollocks, he has totally bottled it. I mean, if anybody thinks that Newcastle to Palace is not a downward move they are out of their mind.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
I’ve never been fussed what other fans think of us at Newcastle, why would I??
I never really pay attention to other clubs fans, its not my care..
stay out of our goldfish bowl please 😉
Pardews Gash aka Mark(Quote)
KIMTOON
Depends who you speak to. I don’t complain about my club and let other fans sympathise, we just talk about football in general and people think it’s ridiculous seeing the treatment that Pardew has been getting.
And I’m disappointed because I see the negative lot in exactly the same light! I think some of the abuse is disgusting. People say it’s part of football and it’s certainly not unique to our club (see the recent abuse Wenger got – even more disgusting!) But us as a club (by that I’m mainly thinking of the fans) are not going to be able to move on while so many of us seem to be unhappy unless we’re doing as well as the SBR or KK (first time) days…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
It’s a bit like I have zero sympathy for the Man Utd fans whinging about not challenging for the league right now. And I’m hearing less coming from them than from us…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
ERIC
Who gives a **** about Pardew’s ambition? Who are we to question it? Should you question Redknapps’s ambition? Pulis? He’s leaving one PL club for another. Likely to get paid more, more appreciation from the fans and less stress. Would be an easy choice for me. It’s not as if we’re challenging for the CL is it…
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Good article Toonsy.
I see Troy is on the attack like a Basking Shark as per usual.
I am happy that the FOOL is going, here are my reasons why.
> Awful record against the Mackems, failed to motivate his side.
> Brought shame on the club with his behaviour.
> Stuborness with our set piece routines, 2 corners scored from in 4 years. Williamson corner routine!
> Horendous defensive record
> Ability to go on losing runs
> Treatment of MYB, a player now playing for CL side.
> Unatractive style of football with the emphasis on sneaking a goal
> Turning Gouffran into a defensive winger.
All I ask is that the next manager fully understands the passion of the fans and tries to play in an attractive style with the emphasis on winning games.
I fully expect to be underwhelmed by the next appointment but the FOOL had to go in the end and good riddance.
“Ding dong, the FOOL has gone”
I have been dying to say that lol
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Our 2014 results lest we forget…
P38 W12 D6 L20 F36 A63 GD-27
Win percentage of 32%.
Added to that all manner or negative records broken, 4 straight losses to our local rivals, no semblance of decent playing style after 4 years of trying, continually playing people out of position, unfathomable tactics, unintelligble interviews, self promotion, lies etc etc etc purlease anyone who sheds a tear over this fraud needs their head examining
Geordie Deb(Quote)
Its kind of like when someone dies.. no matter how much of an arsehole they were people still speak fondly of them in public… because they are no longer with us! 😉
Aussie Magpie Fan(Quote)
Deb@62
Here here
TonyGreenSupreme(Quote)
Good article to stimulate discussion but I could pick so many holes in it.
Firstly, the 8 year contract is really not what people keep thinking it is! It’s funny when people slate Ashley and Pardew with the 8 year contract thing and also slate them with the rumour that he was on £500kpa wage. The 8 year contract was simply for stability of an asset to increase the effective value of NUFC, which is really what Ashley cares about. Same as the long-term contracts for players. The wage is probably not too far away but is heavily incentivised, as all Ashley’s contracts are.
As for the 5th place finish, that was a freak season! Both Chelsea and Liverpool had dismal seasons and finished below us, while we had key players in storming form and with very few injuries. We had a smaller squad than now! Just like Pardew can’t dine out on that finish, neither should the fans use it as a stick to beat him with. We should be finishing 8th-10th and only a lot of luck or a genius manager should be able to change that.
As I’ve said, I think Pardew has had enough of the fans personally…there’s only so much you can take of constant abuse and he’s pretty much going out on a high after the way the season started.
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Was lurking on one of the Palace Boards yesterday and the level of delusion was fab. Think they’ve landed Pep! Super Al’s (i kid you not)great record at Newcastle totally under appreciated by their deluded fans as they are not playing in CL every year. We should stop whingeing and be grateful SuperAl graced us with his presence. Apparently he will be taking his fantastic scouting skills to help them uncover little known gems like Perez from overseas… not sure how they will react when they get Tomkins and Obertan.
Geordie Deb(Quote)
TDS: Pardew’s lack of ambition with his move explains a lot about his negative tactics and inability to get anything achieved for us. He was a journeyman player and is a journeyman manager and has found his level at Palace. I am certain that level will be the Championship next year.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC
So who do you suggest next? Who do we want who is willing to join a club in the 8th-10th range without the budget to try and push into the top 5?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
How long will the honeymoon last at Palace? Their fans will be scratching their heads when Super Al moves a forward to auxiliary left back and keeps him there for a season. Gouffran is not a great player but he is also not a left back.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TDS: are you Troy in disguise?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
TDS: I am happy Pardew has gone as he was never up to the task. It looks like we will probably get a caretaker in. You never know with Ashley as he proved with Kinnear and Pardew who were both bizarre appointments.
Eric Sykes(Quote)
ERIC
Up to the task in what way? He’s looking likely to guide us back to the 8th to 10th places.
And I don’t care about the caretaker manager for a game or two. Who next as a permanent choice? Who is realistic and better than Pardew?
ToonDarnSarf(Quote)
Geordie Deb @62: That equals 42 points so we would probably avoid relegation if it was a full season. Is that the height of our ambition, to get by, to scrape a few wins playing the most labourious, dire football outside of Sunderland?
Eric Sykes(Quote)
The names put forward are **** all to do with the club and are pure guess work
Ashleys probably sat on a beach drinking malibu out of a coconut ffs
CC(Quote)
Dear me.
I feel like I’ve touched a nerve. The guilt is shining like a beacon on the blog this morning.
It’s funny how people take offence when you call them fickle yet they openly admit that’s what they are, but then say it’s only a word, what does it mean anyway.
Aussie you surprise me. I only ever wind you up on purpose. I say it like it is.
You’ll all be crying over the tactics of the new manager within months.
Eric, stop whinging about me whinging about you whinging. 🙄
Troy Stavers(Quote)