Alan Pardew's job appears to be on the line in tonight's game for Newcastle United at Stoke City. It makes an otherwise dull-looking encounter appear quite interesting.
Yet even if Newcastle United successfully take three points at the Britannia Stadium this evening, you can't help but feel that unless Pardew puts together a run of half-a-dozen unbeaten games and takes Newcastle firmly into the top half, then he will remain a dead man walking.
No manager resigns these days - the pay-offs for being sacked are too lucrative - otherwise, Pardew might have decided himself that enough was enough after owner Mike Ashley's "joke" comments about sacking Pardew to a reporter recently.
A manager of any club these days is only ever three-successive defeats away from a potential P45, but some jobs are tougher than others. Ashley's loyalty to his managers doesn't seem to steeped in longevity, so, let's face it, Pardew's days are numbered.
As for the game tonight, Stoke City haven't won a league game at home yet this season (two 0-1 defeats), and Newcastle United haven't won a league game away since 1 March. Stoke City themselves only have two more points than the Geordies, and Mark Hughes might be a little more nervous than usual tonight.
It actually sounds like a recipe for a 0-0 draw, but the tension will be palpable.
Showing posts with label Alan Pardew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alan Pardew. Show all posts
Monday, 29 September 2014
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Football talks a good Olympian game; let's see it in deed
The Footballers versus Olympians debate has raged and has quietened down and will rear its head from time to time over the next season.
The problem with football is that it refuses to learn from other sports; it knows it is the Beautiful Game, but thinks that it is the pinnacle of beauty. But it isn't.
I am not going to go into all the things that football should learn from other sports in this post; they will be the subject of many other posts to come.
However, in the Footballers versus Olympians debate, one thing has struck me. The Olympians have never said a word. People in the media and many of us bloggers, tweeters, facebook posters have commented on their behalf: "Weren't they wonderful?", "Fantastic attitude", "Actually apologising to supporters", etc. But I can't recall seeing any quotes from any of the participiants themselves.
Yet those "in the [football] game" have felt the need to speak out: Richard Scudamore, Joey Barton, Gary Neville are a few that spring to mind. And, of course, they're mostly defending their sport. Well, what would we expect? Of course they would.
The problem lies in the very fact that they need to defend their sport, and the behaviour of players, managers and supporters. And they do need to. It's because football's reputation is so woeful by its deeds that it needs to defend itself in words. Prime example: Alan Pardew (a most unexpected culprit) demonstrates his attitude by his deeds (pushing an assistant referee), but then apologises in words afterwards.
There's always been the joke about the not-so-good manager or player, who "talks a good game".
How about those "in the game", cutting the talk, and improving the reputation of football in their actions? Come May next year, let's see if football no longer needs to defends its actions in words.
The problem with football is that it refuses to learn from other sports; it knows it is the Beautiful Game, but thinks that it is the pinnacle of beauty. But it isn't.
I am not going to go into all the things that football should learn from other sports in this post; they will be the subject of many other posts to come.
However, in the Footballers versus Olympians debate, one thing has struck me. The Olympians have never said a word. People in the media and many of us bloggers, tweeters, facebook posters have commented on their behalf: "Weren't they wonderful?", "Fantastic attitude", "Actually apologising to supporters", etc. But I can't recall seeing any quotes from any of the participiants themselves.
Yet those "in the [football] game" have felt the need to speak out: Richard Scudamore, Joey Barton, Gary Neville are a few that spring to mind. And, of course, they're mostly defending their sport. Well, what would we expect? Of course they would.
The problem lies in the very fact that they need to defend their sport, and the behaviour of players, managers and supporters. And they do need to. It's because football's reputation is so woeful by its deeds that it needs to defend itself in words. Prime example: Alan Pardew (a most unexpected culprit) demonstrates his attitude by his deeds (pushing an assistant referee), but then apologises in words afterwards.
There's always been the joke about the not-so-good manager or player, who "talks a good game".
How about those "in the game", cutting the talk, and improving the reputation of football in their actions? Come May next year, let's see if football no longer needs to defends its actions in words.
Friday, 10 December 2010
Pardew signs as Newcastle manager till mid-2016. Ha ha.
So Alan Pardew has been named as the new Newcastle United boss. Well, good luck to him!
Apparently he has received phone and text messages from fellow managers telling that he is "mad" to take the job. Pardew said it was daunting, but a challenge he couldn't turn down, and that Newcastle United is one of the top five clubs in the country.
Pardew has signed a five-and-a-half year contract, taking him to mid-2016. You have to laugh. Newcastle have had seven managers in the last five-and-a-half years!
I was talking to some mates last night. They have no feeling one way or the other for Newcastle, Chris Hughton or Alan Pardew, but the general feeling was that they hope Newcastle get relegated as a reward for impatient stupidity.
Newcastle managers since 2004:
Graeme Souness 2004-06
Glenn Roeder 2006-07
Sam Allardyce 2007-08
Kevin Keegan 2008
Joe Kinnear 2008-09
Alan Shearer 2009
Chris Hughton 2009-2010
Apparently he has received phone and text messages from fellow managers telling that he is "mad" to take the job. Pardew said it was daunting, but a challenge he couldn't turn down, and that Newcastle United is one of the top five clubs in the country.
Pardew has signed a five-and-a-half year contract, taking him to mid-2016. You have to laugh. Newcastle have had seven managers in the last five-and-a-half years!
I was talking to some mates last night. They have no feeling one way or the other for Newcastle, Chris Hughton or Alan Pardew, but the general feeling was that they hope Newcastle get relegated as a reward for impatient stupidity.
Newcastle managers since 2004:
Graeme Souness 2004-06
Glenn Roeder 2006-07
Sam Allardyce 2007-08
Kevin Keegan 2008
Joe Kinnear 2008-09
Alan Shearer 2009
Chris Hughton 2009-2010
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