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Newcastle’s Alan Pardew to stay in charge for Saturday’s trip to Swansea Newcastle’s Alan Pardew to stay in charge for Saturday’s trip to Swansea
(34 minutes later)
Alan Pardew’s position at St James’ Park remains safe in the short term but Newcastle United’s manager cannot afford to look too far into the future. Although the 53-year-old will remain in charge for Saturday’s trip to Swansea City he knows the extent of Mike Ashley’s patience is likely to be limited and he is fighting for his job. Alan Pardew’s position at St James’ Park remains safe in the short-term but Newcastle United’s manager cannot afford to look too far into the future. Although the 53-year-old will remain in charge for Saturday’s trip to Swansea City he knows the extent of Mike Ashley’s patience is likely to be limited and he is fighting for his job.
Whatever happens at the Liberty Stadium, Pardew also seems likely to survive the impending international break and preside over Newcastle’s subsequent Premier League match at home to Leicester City but, after that, the horizon looks opaque.Whatever happens at the Liberty Stadium, Pardew also seems likely to survive the impending international break and preside over Newcastle’s subsequent Premier League match at home to Leicester City but, after that, the horizon looks opaque.
Despite his team’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke City on Monday night – their sixth League game without a win this season – Pardew is understood to be “under no immediate threat” from Ashley with Newcastle’s owner opting for restraint as opposed to reaching for a P45. Despite his team’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke City on Monday night – their sixth League game without a win this season – Pardew is understood to be “under no immediate threat” from Ashley, with Newcastle’s owner opting for restraint as opposed to reaching for a P45.
Nonetheless, the sports retail tycoon will doubtless demand answers to some pressing questions during an impending meeting with Pardew scheduled to take place at the training ground in the next couple of days.Nonetheless, the sports retail tycoon will doubtless demand answers to some pressing questions during an impending meeting with Pardew scheduled to take place at the training ground in the next couple of days.
With Tynesiders increasingly calling for his head and Newcastle second bottom of the table with only three points, the manager’s position is undeniably under intense scrutiny but there is a degree of boardroom sympathy towards him. With Tynesiders increasingly calling for his head and Newcastle second from bottom in the table with only three points, the manager’s position is undeniably under intense scrutiny but there is a degree of boardroom sympathy towards him.
Although Newcastle’s enduring slump during 2014 – they have won just five of 27 League games since Boxing Day 2013, taking 19 points from a possible 81 – represents a cause of major concern, Ashley acknowledges several mitigating factors. If Yohan Cabaye’s £20m sale to Paris Saint-Germain upset the calibration of both team and dressing room last January, this summer’s seven new arrivals at St James’ Park are still bedding in. Although Newcastle’s enduring slump in 2014 – they have won only five of 27 League games since Boxing Day 2013, taking 19 points from a possible 81 – represents a cause for major concern, Ashley acknowledges several mitigating factors. If Yohan Cabaye’s £20m sale to Paris Saint-Germain upset the calibration of both team and dressing room last January, this summer’s seven new arrivals at St James’ Park are still bedding in.
By way of exacerbating Pardew’s problems, the manager, who does not have a big say in a recruitment process mastermined largely by Lee Charnley, the club’s managing director and Graham Carr, the chief scout, was not given the proven striker and central defender he had long demanded. With six of the newcomers having no previous experience of English football, their transition was always likely to be awkward and it did not help that Siem de Jong, the former Ajax playmaker, was swiftly ruled out for several months with a serious thigh injury.By way of exacerbating Pardew’s problems, the manager, who does not have a big say in a recruitment process mastermined largely by Lee Charnley, the club’s managing director and Graham Carr, the chief scout, was not given the proven striker and central defender he had long demanded. With six of the newcomers having no previous experience of English football, their transition was always likely to be awkward and it did not help that Siem de Jong, the former Ajax playmaker, was swiftly ruled out for several months with a serious thigh injury.
Ashley knows Pardew told him that his team’s collective lack of exposure to the Premier League could prove costly and has seen evidence of this at first hand as the France international attacking midfielder Rémy Cabella and the Holland right-back Daryl Janmaat have struggled to acclimatise to their new habitat. Meanwhile Emmanuel Rivière, signed from Monaco, looks way out his depth. Ashley knows Pardew told him that his team’s collective lack of exposure to the Premier League could prove costly and has seen evidence of this at first hand as the France international attacking midfielder Rémy Cabella and the Holland right-back Daryl Janmaat have struggled to acclimatise to their new habitat. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Rivière, signed from Monaco, looks way out his depth.
It seems Newcastle’s owner is, for the moment at least, willing to offer his manager the benefit of the doubt and has scheduled no “crisis talks” before the weekend. Even so Pardew has been told that, if he is to survive in the medium term, a significant and rapid upturn in results is imperative. It seems Newcastle’s owner is, for the moment at least, willing to offer his manager the benefit of the doubt but expects him to swiftly begin answering a series of awkward questions.
Pardew is under no illusions that a significant, and rapid, upturn in results is imperative if he is to survive until the clock goes back, let alone Christmas.