Soccer: Newcastle owner Mike Ashley today placed the future firmly in the hands of manager Alan Pardew when he handed him a staggering eight-year contract. Pardew, assistant John Carver, coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman have all been given identical deals with chief scout Graham Carr having signed his own eight-year contract in June.
The announcement represents a huge vote of faith in Pardew and his staff with the 51-year-old having initially taken over from the sacked Chris Hughton in December 2010 on a five-year deal which few expected him to see out at the time.
Pardew has presided over a remarkable rise since launching his career on Tyneside with a 3-1 home victory over Liverpool. He was appointed after Ashley and managing director Derek Llambias decided Hughton, who dragged the club back into the Barclays Premier League in the wake of relegation at the end of the 2008-09 campaign, had taken the Magpies as far as he could.
The former Reading, West Ham, Charlton and Southampton manager kept them in the top flight at the end of their first campaign back there, and then paved the way for a remarkable second season. Against all the odds, Newcastle finished fifth in the league in May to secure a return to European football after an absence of five years.
Indeed, they were only five points shy of qualifying for the Champions League for just the third time in their history. Pardew has built upon the spirit instilled by Hughton during his time at the helm, and astute signings — he has brought in the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse with great success — with the help of Carr have helped to restore optimism at a club which had been through years of turmoil.
He has done his job to such good effect that fans furious at both Hughton’s dismissal and Pardew’s arrival have since taken him to their hearts, and today’s news will be welcomed by many. However, there is much work still to be done, and with Ashley insisting that the club must be run along strict financial lines, the manager knows his acumen and that of his staff, coupled with the efforts of his players, rather than heavy investment in the squad will be the way forward.
The one issue he would dearly love to address during the terms of his deal is the trophy drought which has left Tyneside hungry for tangible success for 43 years. A weakened Newcastle side slipped out of the League Cup at the hands of a weakened Manchester United side at Old Trafford last night as another opportunity went begging.
