Before I start, the last time I looked, I didn't have my head in the sand or up my ****. Nor am I being judgemental, I know there are concerns about where we are going, I have many myself, I'm just trying to take a rational view on how we stand. Up until the Liverpool capitulation I fully supported Pardew. But, watching him on the touchline that day I just feel as though he had lost something. That said, some of the players that day, particularly the likes of Debuchy had a lot to answer for. So, I wanted him out at the end of season....simple as. Was I disappointed that he wasnât sackedâ¦â¦Absolutely, as I thought a new start under a new manager was the right way forward. Having said that, how many times have we been down that line only for it to backfire badly. However, as time has gone by, with no apparent attempt to change managers, I have come to the conclusion that you have to forget and move on. He is still manager whether some fans like it or not. I now personally believe he should be given another chance. We all know how many managers we have had over the years. In my memory only Keegan, Dalglish and Sir Bobby have finished higher than Pardewâs 5th place and Dalglishâs was an inherited team. Have we ever really recovered since SBR was sacked? Besides, I havenât heard a single manger named yet that we could get, who I think would do any better. Itâs not Pardewâs fault that JFK was brought in. Nor his fault that Lambias screwed up the pre-season schedule again. He isnât the one trying to sign players. He is working with what heâs got to the best of his ability as a manger. My worry with Pardew, are the tactics and reluctance to omit players. He has his favourites, but hasnât every manager. Ideally one or two players will be signed before the Transfer Window shuts that will give us more flexibility. Looking at pre-season, it hasnât been great, but would have stuffing the opposition achieved anything. No, all it would have done is put everyone in a âfalse sense of securityâ, thinking they were ready for the new campaign. We know as fans, and the players know that they have much work to do before Man City. We can all single out players, we all have our favourites, but this is a TEAM game and all the squad have a part to play, including the Jonasâs of this world. There will be games when his workload will be a god send. Many fans think the Man City game is a write-off, probably will be, but if we lose, we wonât be the last team to go there and get beat this season. If we show commitment and heads donât drop like the Liverpool game that is a start for me. Anyway, back to the point of all these ramblings. As fans we need to get behind Pardew, get behind the team. Stop being negative and be positive. The SJP Crowd has a part to play, itâs too quiet some games, we need to help make SJP a fortress again, be NOISY and no mumblings about this player or that one. Players pick up on the negativity just as much as solid good support. Why shouldnât we make a decent start, give Pardew time, give the players time. Screw the Negativity. Hopefully, a tipping point wonât come when sacking Pardew has to be considered, but, if it does letâs make sure itâs for the right reasons and viable replacements are available. If not, although I personally doubt it, we could end up with JFK as Manager. In a perverse way, I think some fans would actually be ok with that, to enable another MA bashing to begin. LETS RALLY ROUND, F*** JFK, F*** MA, F*** THE REGIME IF THATS YOUR STANCE SO CâMON SUPPORT THE TEAM AND BE POSITIVE. PARDEW DESERVES A CHANCE THE SAME WAY SIR BOBBY ROBSON DESERVED A CHANCE BEFORE HE WAS UNCEREMONIOUSLY SHAFTED BY FAT FREDDIE.
Difference between Sir Bobby & Kenny is that they had previous success to suggest that had enough experience and quality to carry out the role of manager to a high standard. Sir Bobby had managed Barcelona, PSV, England and many more achieving lots of success and winning many trophies. Kenny had won the league with Blackburn only 2 or 3 years before we appointed him. Other than his 5th place finish with us Pardew's CV does not support that he has the tools to help our club achieve it's full potential. At West Ham he had a good first year and then it went down hill. He had a very difficult job at Charlton but if anything they got worse under his tenure. Did a fairly good job at Southampton but had the biggest budget in league 1 at the time and success in league 1 doesn't qualify you for a job at a club the size of our's. As long as the team and manager are supported on match days that's all that matters. However there could come a point (if performances and results are as poor as last season) when the fans will have no alternative but to vent their frustration and unhapiness and rightly so in my opinion. During the game I'm not a fan of booing the team/manager as it doesn't achieve anything, I think if we as fans are unhappy with what we're seeing this should be reserved until the final whistle as it then has no bearing on the result or performance. I would start Jonas against City, however if he's part of a front three it would be a terrible selection choice. I'll be adopting a "wait and see" policy with Pardew this season and for me it will be evident within the first 6-8 games to see if lessons regarding formation, playing style and positioning of certain players have been learned from last season. If our performances show that those lessons haven't been learned I'll want him removed from his position.
With a regime that consists of Ashley & Kinnear, who would realistically be interested in being our manager? We could have a line of contenders outside Ashley's office, but how many would be capable of improving things? With MA controlling the purse-strings and Kinnear in charge of transfers, who could alter what's left? No, we're at the stage where it's 'buckle your seat belts' and see what happens. Pardew can do little but try and enjoy the lack of control he has on changing things and attempt to keep himself in a job. Results will obviously dictate all, i'm expecting something between mediocre and worrying.
As sbr's jig of delight says as long as we support the team on match days who gives a solitary **** what we say on the rest of the week on a bloody forum One man's pessimism is another man's realism, one man's optimism is another man's delusion.
The liverpool game ?? You on holiday the game Before at st James, the liverpool game which we demanded a response from the derby sham He must go or we go down
If the side can start off showing that we might do ok in Prem, then we should be content with that. But the summer has filled many of us with trepidation - that team and tactics really do need a shake up. I know you can't measure pre-season on a great deal but where are the goals and even the chances going to come from? Remy might not even play for us, with his injury and court case.
One of the first things I wrote in the OP was that I thought Pardew should have been sacked at the end of last season and I stand by that, but the simple fact is he wasn't and so IMHO, we just have to get on with it. I can't say what my tipping point would be to sack Pardew. 6 - 8 games if we are failing seems fair enough to me. I don't think I would leave it any longer. The problem in sacking Pardew is that in doing so, it means it has been poor start, and I don't believe anyone would want that unless you just want rid no matter what. If he was to be sacked, who next. Poyet's been mentioned as a possible replacement. Why, what does he bring, cos I can't see it. Although it could be seen as a gamble the way the mackems did with Di Canio. Who else? The point of the OP wasn't to defend Pardew, but for the support to get behind Pardew and the team when the season kicks off. SJP needs to become a fortress again with the crowd making a difference - being the 12th man. There was a good article in The Mag a few weeks back about bringing the noise back. It's a good read and the writer makes a lot of good points. http://www.themag.co.uk/the-mag-articles/how-to-bring-back-the-noise-at-st-james-park/
Always believe in getting behind the team. I think the problem you'll see is that negative vibe from last season is yet to disappear and will still be apparent early doors at the actual games. That will be disappointing for me. Once the decision is made to continue, I think you have to forget the past and start each season afresh. I think a forum is a good place for any view though, however negative, positive etc. I never really give a **** what people write on here within reason, its only an internet forum. I do like the idea of people getting behind the manager and team, and I can't imagine anyone is stupid enough to think it doesn't help the team when we do. Two street of course, manager and players have to give back but fans should always be in positive mode at the start of a season.
The team desperately need to find their swagger again. The players need to start looking around and realising that our first team is capable of challenging for Europe. That means us fans getting behind them and helping their confidence.
