10 games in – is Alan Pardew doing a good job?
Posted on February 13th, 2011 | 76 Comments |
Chris Hughton divided opinion as a manager with some rating him highly, others insisting he was ‘clueless’ and a plethora of opinions in between the two extremes.
His sacking, though, was a shock. It might have a pleasant shock to those who never rated him but it was a shock nonetheless. There were rumblings in the press before it happened, but I think most fans thought he’d at least to get to see out the season. I think most people appreciated that the constant changes of manager were one of the main reasons for our demise and relegation, and were hoping the club would ease up on the revolving door approach.
Hughton says he still doesn’t know why he was sacked. Ashley said he wanted someone “with more experience” and, beyond a lot of speculation and rumour, that’s just about all we actually know about things.
So in comes Alan Pardew. He didn’t really arrive to a fanfare – more of a squeak – and I think most fans were either unhappy about his appointment or, at best, nonplussed.
We’re now 10 games into Pardew’s tenure as manager and he’s clocked up 3 wins, 3 draws and 4 losses, so what do we think about him?
I can only answer that question with my own personal opinion of course, and – whilst I admit I was a fan of Hughton – I have to say that I think Alan Pardew’s done okay in terms of the football on the pitch. I think he sometimes says things he shouldn’t and I have my doubts as to how much he’d stand up to Ashley, but I think we’re playing reasonable football and the team spirit that Hughton fostered still seems to be there.
10 games is of course very little. Which is to say that it should be very little in a manager’s career, although in football these days it’s sometimes all a manager gets to make an impact. So for me the jury’s still out and Pardew will have to prove himself over much longer than 10 games and in all aspects of management, including his choices of players to bring in and the sort of impact they have on the first team.
I think he has a tough act to follow because it was under Hughton’s management that we brought in gems like Tiote and Ben Arfa and it was also under Hughton’s management that players like Coloccini, and Enrique really started to shine. Arguably, it was also Hughton that helped make Andy Carroll worth £35m to Liverpool after little more than half a season of Premier League football.
It remains to be seen whether Alan Pardew can match that, but I will say that I think he’s made a decent start in terms of the football we play.
Pardew has been talking about the scale of the job at Newcastle, saying:
“I’m under no illusions about the size of this job. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve tried to be honest about what I do with the fans.
“I don’t think the average Newcastle fan feels they know me. I’ve not been here that long and I think they are probably still undecided about what I’m about. Am I honest? Am I hardworking?
“It’s very difficult. When things went as badly as they did in the first half against Arsenal, the fans are going to voice that unease.
“I think there was a lot of that in the abuse I received last week in the first half and I accept that, it happens and there was a lot of frustration.
“Only time can buy me the respect of the real Newcastle fan, that’s all I’m working towards.
“I can’t determine how long it takes, but what I am confident about is the vision I have got for the club will be backed by the chairman.
“The situation we are in now, only the summer will back that up.
“From now until the summer, we’ve got to show we’ve got enough character, enough ability and enough nous as a coaching staff to keep the team in this division.”
So, do you think Alan Pardew has done a good job so far?
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.
So far so good!
This summer will define two things, Can he bring in quality players and also keep the like of Enrique, Tiote and Colocini? Not confident he can do either!