Pardew?

So it looks ominously as though Alan Pardew may well by our next manager, with some reports saying that he’d met with Mike Ashley as long as 10 days ago to discuss taking over.

It’s also come to light that he is a friend of Mike Ashley and Derek Llambias, as they all know each other from a London Casino managed by Llambias! Oh dear god…

What do I make of this? Well I’m disctinctly underwhelmed. Alan Pardew may have 11 years of management experience (apart from the bits when he’s been out of a job) but is hardly going to set pulses racing. He’s managed at Reading, West Ham, Charlton Athletic and Southampton, with his most notable achievements being at West Ham where he won promotion and reached an FA Cup Final.

He was also in charge at the Hammers when they dubiously staved off relegation thanks to Carlos Tevez and his highly suspect loan signing.

Frankly I fail to see how Pardew would be an upgrade on what we already had with Chris Hughton. Yes he has more experience, but mostly at the wrong end of the league table. He may prove to be wonderful and should be given the chance to show that, but if he does get the job he will face an uphil lbattle from day one thanks to his mates in the Director’s box.

His friendship with Ashley and Llambias will ensure his unpopularity from the off, and it’s unthinkable that the next few games won’t feature sustained abuse of the owner and chairman, and a returen to the calls for the “fat cockney bastard” to get out of our club.

Mike Ashley seems to have reverted to his previously failed formula of appointing people he’s mates with – Dennis Wise ring any bells? That went well didn’t it?

Perhaps I’m overreacting, but I simply fail to see the point in removing Hughton to appoint Pardew. There may be trouble ahead…

Category: General, Rumors, Team News