Head-butting Magpies boss could have chosen his words more wisely.
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Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has said that he is ready to “fight” to keep his job.
The Magpies are currently on their worst run of top-flight form since 1987, having lost their last six Premier League games.
Pardew was absent for the majority of those defeats, as he served a ban for head-butting Hull City midfielder David Meyler.
Newcastle’s latest loss, a 3-0 reverse at Arsenal on Monday night, saw some away fans stage a protest against Pardew.
One fansite has now called upon supporters to hold a mass walkout during Saturday’s match with Cardiff City, which is Newcastle’s final home game of the season.
In addition to his side’s awful on-field performances, Pardew has frustrated supporters by leaving star midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa out of the team.
Ben Arfa has only received 20 minutes of game time since having what he describes as a “strong exchange of words” with Pardew following Newcastle’s 4-0 home defeat to Manchester United on April 5.
The France international has also been forced to train away from the senior team recently.
Pardew told Sky Sports: “The team comes first. At the end of the day this is not about me, Hatem or any individual player.
“This club is a lot bigger than that, and it needs to show that on Saturday. It needs to show we’re a big club, support the team that gets picked and hopefully to a victory.”
On his own future, Pardew added: “I’m very proud to be manager of Newcastle and I always have been. I’ll fight for that position because I love being manager here.
“I know recent results have not been good enough and I hope we improve on those in the last two games. We’ve had a very difficult run, probably the toughest run I’ve had as a manager – certainly results-wise it is.
“The most important thing is to try and get a stadium on Saturday that gives us a chance.
“We need to make sure we put in a performance in that first 20-25 minutes that gets the stadium on our side and gives us a platform to try and win the game.
“Everyone at Newcastle, within and throughout those who support us, wants us to win – and we want to get that win for them.”
Although Pardew is under severe pressure at St James’ Park, the club may be reluctant to sack him because he still has six years left to run on his current contract, meaning that significant compensation would have to be offered.
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