Pardew does rub people up the wrong way. And I think our poor form last season was a lot to do with him believing in his own hype following his manager of the year award. I do think last season was good for Pardew in terms of bringing him back down to earth and he's been much more level headed this year. Can completely see why opposing fans take a disliking to him though. I'm still undecided regarding his managerial ability and think after this season (his third full season in charge) will be the time to judge him. Anything 10th and above and he's doing a decent job, anything below that and there will be questions that need asking.
Excuse me, but why does this happen..? When he was Saints manager he apparently rubbed a few fans up the wrong way as well, but I'm blowed if I can understand why. What has he done at Newcastle other than improve them while totally unnecessary boardroom shenanigans continue on behind him..?
He can be quite arrogant at times, which is a personallity trait that many (myself included) don't like. Arrogance is needed to be a good footballer/manager etc but it needs to be earned. He finished 5th with us which was a fantastic achievement, but he then believed he was the best manager in the league and completely forgot what helped him win the award in the first place (hard work, playing players on form rather than reputation etc) and he lost his way badly last season. An example would be in the season when we finsihed 5th we went in to our last league game of the season needing a win to have a chance to finish 4th. In his pre match press conference his exact words were "we operate in a different league to Everton now and they have to accept that". I mean we'd been back in the Premier League for only two years, Everton had finished in the top 8 for the previous decade and suddenly we were in a different league to them??? Very disrespectful from Pardew, we went on to lose 3-0 (after Pardew did their team talk for them). Now that's only one example but there are a few more. As I said as a manger I'm undecided. As a team we're a bit too direct at times for my liking, especially as we have some very technically gifted players like Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Anita, Remy etc. But he's got the team united and playing for each other which is no mean feat given how diverse our squad is. I'll judge him at the end of this season, three years is plenty enough time for a manager to build their own team, get their back room staff in place and also more than enough time to implement their on philosophy and style of play. It's looking good so far this season but we're not even halfway through yet, long way to go.
What GCB says above - I never liked him when he was Saints manager either. No rational reason, just a *feeling* you get about some people. I realise that's absurd, but my gut always told me there was something about him. That continues to this day. Sorry I can't be more analytical about it than that!
Matthew Le Tissier free kick....remember it well as St James park was being refurbished and no away fans were allowed inside. When the free kick went in you could only hear the high pitched squeals of Alan Ball with arms aloft.
Ditto. I've just see a couple of articles too where he's said he turned Lambert into a Premier League striker. Well I'll beg to differ. Just don't like the bloke.
Hope all you guys travelling up for the game enjoy it even if you do go home without any points. Have a safe journey.
I don't get all this irrational antipathy to Pards, in my humble opinion, he did a fine job for us, building a team out of scraps to almost make the play offs with the disadvantage of -10 points and no pre-season, but fans are fickle and soon forget the positives that he brought to the club. I really couldn't give a toss if he is an arrogant bastard or not, just look at Mourinho, do the Chelsea fans hate him?...it always seems that Saints fans have to wring their hands over something, ok, Nigel was a better bloke and he took the rough diamond of a squad built by Pards and polished it, but even he has his detractors amongst the fans now...Why can't we just appreciate the achievements of former managers without comparing them to the present?. Ok, we have evolved into a top side but both Pards and Nigel were the right men at the right time and we can thank Nicola for his foresight in all of his managerial appointments.
Massive fan of Pards, and we have so much to thank him for. Some people seem to have incredibly short memories.
Its nothing to do with him being as nice a bloke as or anything like that. You can't compare Mourinho's 'arrogance' to Pardew. Pardew takes gambles and gets lucky and when it goes right he sings his own praises, when it goes wrong its down to everyone else. Mourinho's supposed arrogance is pure theatre, a show for the public that earns him a mystique and he is happy to keep it going. -10 and the budget Pardew had. Lambert, Fonte, Lallana and Schneiderlin in L1. He should have been in the play offs so for me failed. The difference here is that Pardew is arrogant - fact. He believes his own hype. Mourinho is not the same as he plays along with the act.
Schneiderlin, Lallana, Kelvin, and a few others, had just endured a terrible relegation season in the Championship being beaten most weeks, and spent the summer worrying about whether they would play for the club again. Things don't happen overnight, and to expect instant promotion or a play-off spot is being a bit too greedy IMO. Pards came in, rebuilt the squad, of that there is no question, and made us a formidable team again.
Lambert does give him some credit (together with Southampton as a whole) and Pardew said recently that Rickie deserves a lot of credit for turning his life around. Remember the media can be very selective with what they quote. All I want are points...Pardew did good things for us and can't see that he harmed us.
There can be no doubt that football wise on average Pards knows what he is doing. There is no denying his ability over time. There is it seems another side to him which after a short while seems to rub directors, players and fans up the wrong way. Our own experience with him confirms this. Some are more tolerant than others........The long contract he was given at Newcastle would suggest the chairman at the time was one of those!
It is weird that so many seem to find Pardew 'arrogant' and that he 'rubs people up the wrong way'. When he was manager of Saints, what did he do to give people that idea? You have to remember that this was a manager who had managed relatively successfully in the Premier League and to lose his job at Charlton and get back in at a League One club, albeit a 'bigger' one like us, would have affected him. He brought in an excellent playing squad in that division, and he has always been great at buying players. We played exciting, attacking football and scored loads of goals. It was a positive, really enjoyable season when he was in charge.
Yes, I have no problem with him. My memories of his season in charge were good and he did turn around morale at the club and you will recall the need to get a "winning mentality" at the club. It was this desire which led him to take the JPT seriously and a great day at Wembley. I wonder whether it's the length of contract which has upset some of the Newcastle fans? The security of tenure might make them feel that his is coasting if results don't go their way.
Just seen that Southampton have the best penalty record of any club in Premier League history. 50/52.
I've never really thought Pards was arrogant or anything, though indications from people more in the know than I am aren't great. That said, I did find him boring as hell. Could never tolerate his interviews, Nigel was a refreshing change (for a little while, anyway).
I still can't stand Pardew's interviews! But agree with the above, think he often compliments himself a bit much.
