St James’ Park axe set to swing?
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Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is living on borrowed time and is likely to be axed and replaced by director of football Joe Kinnear according to a report in the Daily Mirror today.
This source quotes spokesman for the NUFC Fans United Group Steve Wraith as stating that the current Magpies boss is set for an ‘inevitable’ sacking after a less than glorious start to the current campaign.
Wraith claims that though Pardew has received some much needed support from the Toon Army faithful that may not prove to keep him in the job.
“There is more support for Alan Pardew now than there was at the end of last season, when many wanted him out,” said Wraith.
“They feel he has been undermined and the Joe Kinnear situation has made it inevitable he will replace him as manager.
“I don’t think Pardew would argue with that assessment – and I am privy to certain conversations he has had with certain people.
“Pardew knows he’s on borrowed time and if results continue to go pear-shaped, there’s only one man who’s going to get his job.
“Kinnear approached Mick Harford in the summer to be his assistant – who ever heard of a director of football having an assistant?
“That was Joe’s way of telling us what is going to happen. It just seems inevitable and Pardew does not deserve to be treated like this.”
In many ways Pardew’s first full season in charge of the club, during which he guided Newcastle United to a surprise fifth place finish, has become an unfair barometer of how the Newcastle United board feel the North-East side should be performing and the appointment of Kinnear, as well as other factors, have left the former West Ham manager continually fighting to prove himself.
Pardew was probably more than aware that anything less than an excellent start to the current season would lead to speculation about his future and after two wins from the opening six Premier League matches of the season and with Newcastle United sitting just above the drop zone it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if owner Mike Ashley were to, unfairly, sack the 52 year old.