And Pardew's lack of tactical awareness strikes again - My thoughts on the Hull game.

I don't think MA's sleeves are quite as big as that.

 

aye, the fat **** looked like he would have a Connery.

 

Obviously I'm baiting you but his career is a shambles prior to Hull. Pardew has a better record. Its like comparing brown **** with white **** but nonetheless. I will say Bruce has always had a good eye for a player though.

 

I think their careers are similar. Neither has won anything, both have one Prem relegation on their CV. In Pardew's favour he was won manager of the year but Bruce has had more time managing in the Prem than Pardew.

Bruce has two promotions to Pardew's one. However Pardew had the biggest budget in the Championship when he took West Ham up and he needed the playoffs for that too.

I don't see how one can bee seen as streets ahead of the other.

 

Pards also been to a cup final, finished in the top half of the PL twice (9th and 5th), whereas as Bruce has yet to trouble the top half despite those extra years, and Pards has a European QF on his CV. Overall you'd have to look on Pards career more favourably despite it being rank average overall.

Have to say though this is a different looking Bruce side he has now. They seem well drilled and he has an impressive record there.

 

I think the word you've used (average) is fair to describe both to be honest. Both are average managers and their records point to that.

 

Certainly but Pards undoubtedly has a better record. His achievements are just slightly less ****. To be fair though I'm sure I read Bruce had something like a 50% win ratio as Hull manager by the end of last season.

 

I don't see it like that at all. When you talk about successful tenures, you aren't just looking for cup runs here and there despite the circumstances, or Bradford's manager would have been in with a shout of the Real Madrid coaching job.

Pardew had Tevez and Mascherano to save his bacon at West Ham, which was ultimately proven to be dodgy dealing... Charlton are still recovering from his time there, Southampton accelerated up the leagues as soon as he left, and there's no accounting for how he even ended up as our manager... He reaped a lot of the benefit of an upward surge down to one man, Chris Hughton.

Consequently, look what happened to teams when Bruce left. Stark contrast to the teams Pards has left

 

No, Di Canio was. As I said, he didnt make the transfers.

 

You make a point. Pardew showed some encouraging signs finally picking the right players and formation (to our minds). But we still lost. How?

I think you have to start looking at some other factors.

First off, many people will say that we have got a good team on paper. Lots of full internationals and skillfull players. The best of those started today as well, most will agree. So the only thing I can deduct from this is that despite being good players, their strengths and weaknesses do not complement each other enough to form a coherent team. Who can you blame for that? Tough one, but I'd lay that at the door of whoever is in charge of recruiting players.

The other possibility is that we have a good team (on paper), and one which does have the potential to form a solid team. Then you have to look at confidence, motivation, and depth of tactics. In this case, Pardew can influence proceedings, and if it is these things going wrong on the pitch then you have to lay the blame at his feet.

 

Ok, so what about a replacement for Pardew? Not an unlikely replacement, but if we have to consider reality, who would you have in charge? Got to be someone more coach-like, as that's the only kind of guy you get when there's a DoFckall in place. Got to be someone who would consider NUFC to be a significant step up, because no-one else is likely toh happily work under the constraints we have. And has to have top flight experience, because Ashley will not take unnecessary risks. They cannot be entrenched in Geordie culture, because that's likely to cause problems when the board come up short (a la Keegan/Shearer).

Finally, said person would have to come recommended because Ashley only works with people he trusts.







Pardew it is, then.

 

You can't really judge a managers influence by what happened after they left though in most modern circumstances. Long lasting impact is largely dependant on the circumstances of their departure and time they've spent there. Neither has spent a significant period at a club to really say "look how they've done after he has gone". A new man comes in, makes changes and so forth. You can only judge them on their time there. Its not like a Hoddle where he left voluntarily to manage England but left fantastic infrastructure for Gullit/Vialli etc.

Before Hull, Bruce has consisted of a couple of promotions, relegations, short tenures and very little to note bar some good signings but tactical ineptitude. Pards had a very successful time at Reading. He did very well at Southampton. Finished 7th despite a ten point deduction, signed some key players behind their progress up the leagues (Hammond, Fonte, Lambert, Puncheon), made use of their youth system, and brought them a trophy and great day out at Wembley.

West Ham started very well but ended very poorly. Charlton was a disaster. You could say he just took over a club in decline really, but as I say you can only judge people on their time. Again he has had a mixed time here tough I find it hard to judge a manager working under the conditions they have to here. Certainly not a great record and distinctly average overall, but he has brough more moments of joy/satisfaction to the clubs he has been at than Brucie has.