Was Ashley right to sack Hughton?

Seems a long time ago now. I was devastated at the time and to a man we as fans and the rest of the football community agreed it was a shocking decision to sack Hughton, who had done an excellent job in his brief reign.

I'd never really had a problem with Pardew's appointment, more the manner and the timing of it. I felt Pardew was better than Hughton tactically, but Hughton had a significant edge when it came to man management.

All things considered I felt they were pretty evenly matched, Pardew maybe being slightly better, but not by enough to justify sacking a manager mid-season who was doing a good job and had the full backing of his players and the fans, a rare occurrence on Tyneside. In modern football a mutinous dressing room could easily have followed, and potentially another disastrous relegation. The timing couldn't have been worse.

But the professionalism of the players and Pardew's strength of character pulled us through and we finished the season as strongly as we started it.

In his ten months in charge Pardew has proven me right regarding his tactical advantage over Hughton, but wrong about my doubts regarding his ability to galvanise a dressing room.

Pardew has dealt with some very difficult situations and some high profile departures. The most telling was the game against Arsenal. In the week preceding it we had sold Carroll on deadline day and then suffered an insipid defeat away to Fulham. 0-4 down at HT at home was probably the lowest point of the season, 45 minutes later was arguably the highest. Pardew refused to make any half time substitutions telling his players to sort out the mess they'd got themselves in, and what a response he got.

Add to this Pardew's professional handling of the media side of management and I think there a few left among us who would argue Hughton is the better manager.

Does that make the appointment right though?

I'm torn on this because I thought the timing, regardless of who was going in or out, was atrocious. If he wanted to change things I felt it should have happened at the end of the season when there was no chance of relegation, but the decision would've looked just as crazy after Hughton had retained top flight status as it did while we were sat mid table.

Pardew coming in in December allowed him to get his feet under the table and have half a season with the players before the summer transfer window. In this respect I think for once, one of Ashley's moments of madness might have been the best decision after all.

 

Chris Whoton

 

I dont believe it was right or justified in any way, but whats happened since has been immense and I can honestly say I dont think Houghton could have done better than this.

 

I,ve got no idea

I guess Houghton had a clause in his payout to say nowt, which he has pretty much done, so as usual we never know what the true situation was.

I don't believe for one second though, that pardew wasnt approached until houghton was sacked

 

I think on this occasion Ashley was right. Pardew is a better manager and is more capable of getting us to the next level, he is pretty good tactically although his subs are a bit iffy, and he is a very good man manager. I also like how he has started to get us playing attractive attacking football and I think he general approach to football is very good.

However I do think Ashley should of handled the changeover much better, instead of bascially pointing a gun at Hughton and waiting for the first opportunity to fire while taking less and less support from him, Ashley should of just been honest and straight with him which is no less than Hughton deserved after what he had done for us.

 

the maner of the appointment is what got me pissed off and pardew was hardly a markee manager...but his record speeks for itself 10 unbeaten in pl 3rd in the table , sorted out the defence and only 8 defeats from the 36 matches he's been in charge

 

Not exactly true. Plenty of fans were questioning Hughton's ability at the time he got sacked. They weren't completely against him yet, but were only one or two bad results away from it.

Back to the question though - Pardew's better in every way. I'll admit his subs are sometimes a bit odd, but Hughton's were often just as bad.

 

Seems to be correct, but if we do end up going on a stupidly long run without winning, then I can see a thread being made "was Ashley wrong to sack Hughton" if that does happen. As well as a lot of abuse to Pardew and Ashley.

 

Simple answer is no he wasn't right to sack him, and has got very lucky in the fact that Pardew has done so well so far.

 

This.

 

No it wasn't right. Pardew has done well though

 

I didn't think it was right and I didn't like the way it was done.

A bit underhanded in my opinion. A knife in the back.

 

Well said.

 

not right to sack him but it has so far worked out alright so far.

 

If Pardew won the league it still wouldnt be right. Pardew's done well, is probably a better manager and I do like him, but there was no reason at all for Hughton to leave, only with hindsight can you defend the decision.

 

No of course he was incorrect to sack Hughton but its split milk now I suppose. Pardew has done equally as well. Funnily enough his defiencies lie in the same area as Hughton for me. Substitutions. I am a big believer that this is where a manager can earn a fair bit of his corn. They both have a habit of sitting on their hands when things go against them. Results wise obviously there is not a lot between them. Although I wouldn't for a second suggest that Pardew has real sway, Mike still controls everything that happens at the club, he does have more of Mikes ear than Hughton did.

 

No. It wasn't right.

On the other hand the cynical part of me says that so far the record speaks for itself. And managers do get sacked all the time. Still leaves a bad taste however,

 

I don't know anybody that agreed with the sacking of CH but times moves on and we have to move with it.

 

I honestly believe that had it not been for the fact that Hughton came off as such a nice guy no one would give a toss. I'm not confusing sympathy with regret, Pardew is a better manager.

 

Appreciate but dont trust Pardew.

all smiles now when we are on a good run of form but generally think he's still full of ****.

Yes man.