Pardew on Barton, Nolan and the captaincy – No one is irreplacable.

Posted on July 6th, 2011 | 45 Comments |

Pardew: Out with the old, in with the new.
Pardew: Out with the old, in with the new.
<< Part twoPart four >> .

Welcome to the third part of this transcript of Alan Pardew’s long interview for ‘Total Sport’ on BBC Radio Newcastle.

I’ve been strting to wonder if it has all been worth transcribing all this stuff, but it is as it gives a very revealing picture of Newcastle United’s current manager, and as such is far more interesting than a succession of mostly made up ‘silly season’ stories about who Newcastle may be linked with, or what some imaginary ‘club insider’ is saying. Well, it is to me anyway.

So here we go again!

Total Sport: “You touched on Joey Barton. How confident are you that the whole issue can be resolved? I mean I know he’s almost said on record a couple of occaisions that he’ll stay at the football club and see out his final year, now that’s by no means certain. Is your feeling at this minute that Joey Barton will start the season for Newcastle United?”

“Alan Pardew: Well listen, the one thing to say about Joey is that he’s his own man, and Joey sometimes has an opinion that can change, you know, he has something set in his mind and then sometimes he can change on that; but I think that the most important thing for Joey is that he sees that the squad has real quality in it. He had a few times last season when he came and saw me and he was frustrated that we weren’t getting the results in terms of the performances that he was putting in, and I had to agree with some of that sentiment. He’s an outstanding player. I think his contract situation has been difficult, especially for me and him, as player and manager, and at times I think Joey will admit that he hasn’t helped the cause either. But, you know, a year is a long time in football and I’ll be speaking to Joey over the summer. I think me and him have got a good relationship and I think if I can keep him where he was last year for another year, at the end of the season, who’s to say we can’t agree another contract? My situation with Joey is to try to get the best out of him, and what Joey wants is success, that’s what he wants. So again, going back to the question earlier, Joey needs to see that success on the pitch and if we can give that to him, I think he could stay.”

Total Sport listener ‘Bob’: “Firstly Alan, I would like to hope that you’re the most successful manager we’ve ever had, but I temper that with a serious doubt about the club captaicy. I think you’ve got rid of a stalwart of the club in the last two seasons (the telephone connection strts to break up a little and few words are inaudible at this point) he organises behind the scenes from what I hear, he organises on the pitch, he can talk to referees, he winds opposition players up, he has a laugh with them, he’s got such skills in that club that hes just lost wiothout an obvious replacement currently, and I just wondered what you’re going to do about that?”

Alan Pardew: “I think that some of the thing you’ve just pointed out are correct ’cause Kevin was more than a captain really at times, and what he gave us, on and off the pitch, was all of that, but he has moved on, and my experience as a football manager is you’ll be surprised that when someone leaves the club someone replaces that, it always is the case. You can lose your funniest player, the guy who always makes someone laugh on the training ground, and someone else will evolve. It gives room for somebody to lead, and I think that will happen. I think the situation with Kev is that the contract extension that he wanted we couldn’t go to, and with that view he didn’t want to stay at the club. Therefore his leadership wouldn’t have counted for much this year if he didn’t want to be at the club, so you have to just temper that with what we got left, and I think that a leader will emerge. I’ve got a couple of ideas in my mind who I think that will be and over the next two or three weeks, obviously, you’ll see who that will be.”

Total Sport: “Were you disappointed with that decision Al?”

Alan Pardew: “Well, what can I say. Could I have had Kevin for the next two years? Yes I would have definitely had him for the next two years, but I couldn’t have Kevin here if he didn’t have a contract that he felt kept him happy, and that obviously wasn’t going to be the situation, and in some ways I had to support that because four, five years down the line is a bloody long time. I wish Kev all the best, he’s at my old club and I think he’ll do a great job there. But we all move on and as I say, within squads it gets replaced, it always gets replaced.”

Total Sport: “People talk about how other players, and you’ll probably back this up Marco (Gabbiadini) move on pretty quickly don’t they, and probabaly won’t have the dramatic effect some people have suggested it might.”

Marco Gabbiadini: “You move on in days. We’ve all been at clubs where managers change and coaches change. I’ve been at clubs where it happens two or three times in a season sometimes, you just have to get on with the cards that your dealt with. Footballers are pragmatic people and I think alot of the calls we get on this show I try and give the view that sometimes as players you block everything out. You can be quite selfish sometimes within a squad and quickly adapt to a situation, and Alan spoke earlier on about the relationships earlier on you try and build within squads and it does happen quite quickly. You do find others in the group who you naturally levitate to (I think he meant ‘gravitate’) and ‘float you boat’ and have a frienship with but you have a working relationship with that is part of what Alan looks for, any manager looks for at the start of pre-season.”

Total Sport: “I don’t know who you’ve got in mind for a Captain. I mean obviously it doesn’t take a genius to work out that people will think Steven Taylor, people will think Fabricio Colccini. I’m just wondering, because of the makeup of a squad and you’ve got so many new faces in there, and you’ve got alot of foreign faces in there, is the role of the Captain going to be fairly pivotal this close season? Or more pivotal than it might be if say, your Captain was Kevin Nolan and he had the squad around him that Newcastle have had for the last two years. I’m just wondering, there seem to be alot of new faces that will need honing, will need blending, will need moulding.”

Alan Pardew: “Well you’ve got to remember that some Captains, and I can think of a couple I’ve had, Nigel Reo Coker for example at West Ham who didn’t really offer anything off the pitch. All he did was drive the team on the pitch, but he did that well, and we’ll have a different Captain this year. I don’t expect the Captain to have that role, John Carver and Steve Stone remember are in my building and I expect them to do that job, to make sure that the guys are in good shape, that there’s a good feeling in the dressing room, and use their knowledge to make sure that the players bring that out in each other. At most clubs that’s how it works.”

Total Sport: “Are Captains less important now than they were in yesteryear or not?”

Alan Pardew: Well you’re not talking about Cricket here where they select the team and talk tactics. Kevin was an exceptional, and I mentioned this last year, probably when I came in here I remember talking about it, that he had tremendous leadership skills which will probably serve him very very well when he ends because he’ll end up as a coach or a manager. On the pitch of course, he had certain traits which we will miss next year. I think it’s Bob isn’t it who said the question that. you know, influencing referees and influencing players of the opposition, that part we probably won’t replace but we’ll replace it with something else. I’m absolutely assured that amongst us within that changing room that we’ll have enough.”

I guess this will just have to run into another part!

<< Part twoPart four >> .

NUFCBlog Author: workyticket workyticket has written 1096 articles on this blog.

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45 Responses

  1. I can now listen to Pardew online, but thanks to you Worky, I guess I don’t have too.

    Ta,

    :-)

  2. Jimbob says:
    July 6, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    “I can now listen to Pardew online, but thanks to you Worky, I guess I don’t have too.”

    Don’t know about you Jimbob, but I find it’s better to study closely in written form, and as I wrote in the piece, I also find it more interesting than reading about how someone said to someone that Newcastle United may be making a move for some footballer that we’ve never heard of.

  3. Yeah, it kinda sticks in your head abit more when reading it. I think it is quite sad though that a club would have to tell a newspaper (Llambiase), that these free transfers are costing alot of money. I can’t imagine any club saying “those free transfers cost alot”.

    Anyway nice one, must have been a nightmare having to keep relistening to that :-) Bet you here Pardew’s soothing voice as you sleep at night now.

  4. Cheers wormy – prefer the written form myself as I don’t like listening to pards

  5. No one’s irriplaceable !
    Thats an addage which is bullshit !
    At present there is no-one at NUFC who can adequately replace Nolan.
    No 11 goal midfielder, no one with the leadership qualites and ability to both, argue a point with and stroke refs.
    The sorry truth is Joey has more of those alpha male qualities, than anyone i can think of, but is constantly
    struggling to keep his cool.
    On saying that, until the side is complete and we get to see our revamped side, we wont know for sure.
    However i just can’t see an import in the role , due to language and adjustment to a new side and style of play.
    Cant see Colocinni in the role either, prhaps a now more confident Taylor ?
    Lets see wo, walkie talkie picks.

  6. free transfers ussally have a big signing on fee i think thats what the clubs trying to say

  7. Pards is a pr*ck,, he needs 2 grow a pr & stand up 4 himself, everything he says the club go & do the opposite & he either likes being made a mug ov or he,s gay & likes ashleys hand up his arse pulling his strings

  8. Listening to Partridge and reading his prose makes me feel enlightened…..I am glad we have a man that means what he says,knows how to handle the boss and aint your typical yes man that we have had in the past.
    It’s is also pleasing to know that we have a manager who has the clubs best interests at heart and long may the Partridge remain at NUFC.
    Maybe we could put a partridge on the badge kinda retro like the old badge in the 70’s?

    On a serious note…..Partridge you are a spineless football failure….a nothing man plucked from football obscurity by a gambling buddy to take the flack from fans while Mike and Owl Heed fleece the club for all it’s worth.

    Personally I am glad you and Owl Heed have made statements just looking at the comments on the chronicle article of Owl Heeds 35M on free transfers has made a huge percentage see clearly what this Board and Manager are really all about.

    It can only be a positive thing to get this mob out of the sports direct stadium ASAP.

  9. C’mon SJT
    Say what you really mean, dont hold back!
    Llambias says we are gonna need the £35m. by the winter window, when we are bottom of the league and all the Frenchies are in the RVI.
    But whadda I know !

  10. listened to the interview a couple of days back,in all honesty the whole thing came across,as a bit stage managed.i was particularly disappointed in fat mick lowes,i think he never asked any probing questions.the fans who phoned in,sounded as though they had been tortured,and had their families threatened,the timid way they asked their questions.overall i think pardew got an easy ride,and the whole point of the interview was,a misguided attempt to try and quell the disquiet,amongst a large section of the fans.judging by derek llambias’s customary,”foot through a television screen”attempt at pr,looked more or less like a back up plan,if pardew’s spiel failed to have the desired effect,on the already “disgruntled faithful”.
    to some the whole thing up,it was a waste of time,because all it’s done is stir the hornets nest a little bit more.i’d love to know who advises these idiots,i think they need to get max clifford in.

  11. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 3:28 pm

    “listened to the interview a couple of days back,in all honesty the whole thing came across,as a bit stage managed.”

    Trojan, as I wrote to Jimbob, I find it’s better to read it as well, as sometimes you can miss things when just listening to it. I also thought that it would be good to have it all down for posterity too.

  12. worky,you would have thought after his latest disasterous attempt,at trying to get the fans onside,he’d be quiet for a while.not a chance,he’s back in the chronicle tonight,spouting about how we need to push on,no bull alan,tell us something we dont already know.does he think the more he spouts,the more things will be forgotten by the fans?is this some “two bob” exercise in psy-ops?,or is he one of the most deluded people in the world of football?,answers on a postcard.

  13. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 3:48 pm

    “he’s back in the chronicle tonight,spouting about how we need to push on”

    Trojan, unlike our previous manager, he isn’t one for ‘quiet strength’ or letting others take the credit. His life is one long PR campaign for Alan Pardew.

  14. worky,we better be careful,we’ll be classed as “anti pardew”.me personally i’ve never rated him as a manager,even before he arrived at newcastle.i dont think he has the ability within himself,to become a good manager.like you say,if bigging yourself up,and egotism,were all that was required,he would be a “world beater”.his record at other clubs like charlton and west ham were dodgy,to say the least.i will never for the life of me,understand why he was ever appointed newcastle manager.

  15. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 4:19 pm

    “worky,we better be careful,we’ll be classed as “anti pardew”.”

    Trojan, I’m not ‘anti Pardew’, I’m just anti Newcastle United having a mediocre manager. I actually agree with many aspects Ashley’s plan for the club bearing in mind the position we were in when he assumed ownership of the club, however some of the decisions made in it’s execution have been absolutely awful, Hughton’s sacking and Pardew’s appointment being one of them, especially after Hughton brought Graham Carr into the club, made great strides in managing our perrenial injury crisis, brought Nolan to the fore in a new role, switched Barton to the right and lots of other stuff too. I’ve said this before, but what I fear most of all is that no manager of any substance would touch us with a bargepole while Ashley is owner, unless, of course, they were offered an absolutely ludicrous contract which Ashley will never give. I fear that no matter how many cut price bargains are brought into the club, in management we are condemned to being led by desperados like Pardew now.

  16. agree worky,it just doesn’t bear thinking about,who could be next in line,if pardew makes a hash of it.
    well they’ve appointed pardew,how much lower down the managerial food chain,will they be prepared to go?.
    like you say,no manager worth his salt will work under the conditions ashley has set.
    i think we would bwe looking at characters like,
    billy davies.
    darren ferguson.
    mick mcarthy ohhhh no.
    nigel adkins.
    these would bve the kind of journeymen who would jump at the chance,unfortunatley.

  17. Trojan, One manager who’s been out of work for some time who I would take would be Alan Curbishley, who showed Alan Pardew how the job should be done when he succeeded him at West Ham and saved them from relegation in a few matches. However, he had his own ‘Keegangate’ gannin’ on there when he left the club so I doubt that he’d do a ‘Groundhog Day’ under Ashley.

  18. aye worky,alan curbishley left for the same sort of thing as keegan.i dont mind curbishley,he’s a decent bloke,and i used to love the way charlton played football under him.

  19. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 5:24 pm

    “he’s a decent bloke”

    Aye, he is Trojan. His brother, Bill, is also a very famous manager, but not in football. He manages The Who, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and Judas Priest amongst other things.

  20. PS BTW all the NOTW staff will be back within the month as “The Sun” will begin a Sunday edition soon :)

  21. AndyMac says:
    July 7, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    “Sorry to break up the Trojan and Worky love in but have you seen this ?”

    Aye Andy, I was going to write something on that, but I’m already working on something else about the equally popular Derek Llambias.

    “Love in”???? :lol:

  22. andymac,yes they had something in the sun paper about it,when it came to fans satifaction,ashley was only in 13th or 14th place.sunderland were third top,so ellis short must be doing something right.

  23. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 6:42 pm

    “so ellis short must be doing something right.”

    Mackems are easily pleased though Trojan. A few bananas and some tyres to swing on at the Stadium of Blight and they’d be happy.

  24. worky,i can’t believe i’m saying this,to be fair to them,any new owner coming in,would have been a step up from that knobhead bob murray.

  25. TROJAN 69 says:
    July 7, 2011 at 6:54 pm

    “worky,i can’t believe i’m saying this,to be fair to them,any new owner coming in,would have been a step up from that knobhead bob murray.”

    Well you could also have said that about the Byker Beelzebub at SJP. I can’t believe i’m saying this but… :-)

  26. workyticket says:

    “Nah, on second thoughts, nothings worse than Freddy!”

    On the “Never Thought I’d Say This” theme this fat fellah is running him close though :(

  27. I thought this comment was very revealing. Reading between the lines I think he is saying he does not want player power in the dressing room. Or any one player or clique being able to disrupt team harmony.

    Thats his job!! :)

    “I don’t expect the Captain to have that role, John Carver and Steve Stone remember are in my building and I expect them to do that job, to make sure that the guys are in good shape, that there’s a good feeling in the dressing room, and use their knowledge to make sure that the players bring that out in each other. At most clubs that’s how it works.”

  28. Just listening to R% and they say that the Makems have brought in 9 new players !!!!!!

    Mind you one of them was David Vaughan :)

    Connor Wickham (Ipswich, £13m), Keiren Westwood (Coventry, free), Sebastian Larsson (Birmingham, free), Ahmed Elmohamady (ENPPI, £2m), Ji Dong-won (Chunnam Dragons, £2m), Craig Gardner (Birmingham, £5m), David Vaughan (Blackpool, free), Wes Brown (Man United, £1m) John O’Shea (Man United, £0m)

    Quantity presumably but not Quality like our lot :)

  29. Grumpy Old-Toon says:

    “Reading between the lines I think he is saying he does not want player power in the dressing room”

    Couldnt be arsed to listen to the slimeball but maybe he wanted old Nolan out after all ? I kinda wondered if he wanted to rule the dressing room (as he apparently did at previous clubs) despite paying lip service to those old stagers when he first arrived. Unfortunately he hasnt exactly pulled up trees at previous clubs has he ?

  30. TROJAN 69 says:

    “well chaps i must bid you adieu,as i am going to sink a few cold ones”

    You’re not leaving me alone with WT are you Trojan ? IF so I’m off as well :)

  31. AndyMac says:
    July 7, 2011 at 7:34 pm

    “You’re not leaving me alone with WT are you Trojan ? IF so I’m off as well”

    Bastad.

    I’ve just put a new poll up lads, in anticipation of another ‘blog / poll style thing.

  32. Just joshing ya WT :)

    But there aint no point in my commenting on Pardwho as I know he’s another waste of space just as Gullitt, Souness and Allardyce were before him.

    I was going to add Roeder to that list but he did at least improve things (after the reign of the Scotstwaat) and to be fair he shouldnt have been appointed in the first place but Fat Fred screwed up big time as usual :(

    If, as you were suggesting earlier, Curbishley had been offered the job then I would have been prepared to support him even though he’s been out of football for three years. Unfortunately Curbs doesnt gamble (much) and doesnt owe money to the casinos :)

  33. AndyMac says:
    July 7, 2011 at 8:30 pm

    “Just joshing ya WT”

    Aye, I knaa Andy.

    “I was going to add Roeder to that list”

    Granted, he didn’t exactly have the most glorious managerial career post Newcastle, but he did ‘make do and mend’ under some VERY trying circumstances at the time with budgetary restrictions massive injury lists. Coming 7th or whatever it was was something of a minor miracle, and as I’ve mentioned, that 13th was under some very difficult circumstances.