Pardew, King of the Castle

Alan Pardew has today re-asserted his authority at the club, insisting that he won't allow Joe Kinnear to 'interfere' with team affairs. 

Since Kinnear’s arrival at the Newcastle, Pardew has, until now, been quiet the appointment. It has been suggested that the former Newcastle boss could undermine Pardew, who came under pressure last season after narrowly avoiding relegation having only signed an eight-year contract in September 2012.

However, today, quoted in The Times, he has left no room for doubt, and has asserted his supremacy in regards to team matters. 

“I think initially people thought Joe was definitely babysitting for me here, for things not to go well and Joe to become manager,” said Pardew in The Times.

“I think that’s what people’s first perception was. And I have to say it was a perception I was a bit concerned about, too.

“I needed to speak to Mike and Joe about that and say, ‘I was given an eight-year contract here and I don’t want any interference’.

“I will always manage one way and that is talking to my staff, talking to my players, talking to my peers, as well as people like the owner, to make sure we are on the right agenda.

“Joe now fits in there. But he can’t interfere with me managing the team and I won’t let him. I made it very clear to Joe.”

Though Pardew had ended the season as a villain, since the arrival of JFK, he is now regarded by many as the last management figure “on the fans’ side”.

Mike Ashley, despite obviously being an astute and successful businessman, has dealed very poorly with the club, almost as if he’s set on driving Newcastle United to the ground. 

So, this minor show of strength has given me at least some hope for the season ahead. At least he has a head on his shoulders, knows the players’ names and can offer some resistance to the increasingly detrimental force of Mike and is posse. 

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