Alan Pardew’s toughest task at Newcastle

The sacking of former Newcastle manager Chris Hughton shocked all of those in and around football. The empathy that all feel for Hughton is making the job of replacing him at the Premier League club all the more difficult. No-one knows this more so than the incumbent manager, Alan Pardew.

Arguably Pardew’s biggest job is trying to convince his players to stay at St James’ Park past January; furthermore he also has the massive task of encouraging them to fight for the club’s Premier League survival.

Even Alan Pardew has acknowledged he faces a difficult task winning over not only the Newcastle fans but the players too as he was unveiled as manager. Pardew says, “The problem I’m going to have initially is the players – I need to get my message across quickly and with clarity, so as not to get any resentment at a time when they are doing reasonably well.”

Several players voiced their disappointment at the departure of Hughton, and credit to Pardew, he has said that he is “privileged to be sitting here and looking forward to a tough job.” However, I do feel it is telling, especially in this day and age that the players’ disappointment might cause them to look elsewhere in the upcoming January transfer market.

Saturday’s win against Liverpool on Saturday did however soften the blow and if results follow suit then I am sure it is only a matter of time before the fans and the players come around to Pardew’s way of thinking.

The saying one swallow doesn’t make a summer springs to mind and only the future will determine how the fans and more importantly the players take to Pardew. One thing that is sure though, is that he will need to prove to the players away from football that he is someone they can trust and someone who wants the best for them and the club, much like Hughton did previously.