Derek Llambias has come out and explained why the club sacked Chris Hughton in December of 2010 and replaced him with Alan Pardew.
Chris Hughton – a great guy and a very good manager
Derek has given a stack of interviews since Newcastle’s excellent financial results were released yesterday, and most of what he says seems good, and certainly the club is being run in a thrifty manner and in a couple of years time, Newcastle should be in great shape financially.
Newcastle’s Managing Director has talked today about why he needed a different kind of character leading the Newcastle club, and he explains he wanted somebody like Alan Pardew, who gets involved with nearly all aspects of the club:
“ “We are not afraid to make decisions and some of them aren’t always good for the fans or show a perception of what we are trying to do.” Chris was a really good guy – look what he’s doing with Birmingham.”
“He’s done an incredible job with a club in crisis and he’s pushed it through.” “He’s got the skill factors, I wish him good luck for the future.” “We had a different view of where we wanted to be and what sort of character we needed to push this dressing room further.”
“That was the decision. It wasn’t a question of skill fits or somebody doing a bad job.” “We needed to kick on – that’s what happened. Alan, we felt, had all the ingredients for what we needed for us personally.” “I wanted somebody who was going to sit down with me and give it back to me, somebody who wasn’t frightened.”
“We fall out, don’t worry! Then we have a little hug and we’re OK again!” “If you are all lovey-dovey all the time it just won’t work. There’s something missing then, it is a nice way to work.”
“I can be moody like anybody, it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what people are doing.” “I’m just in that space at that time and the next day what has been in my head has gone.” “Alan is like that – it’s an emotional game. “
“Alan cares and I mean he really does care.” “Alan’s first game was against Liverpool, we won 3-1. For Alan and us it was fantastic and it didn’t take the fans very long to accept him.”
“They were cheering his name a lot quicker than other people. He loves it here. He understands what people need. In football you have to make brave decisions.”
Alan Pardew gets fully involved with most things at the club, and during his press conference yesterday he corrected a journalist when he was asking a question of Alan and he said – we know you don’t get involved with the financial side of things.
And Alan said “Oh I do, trust me I do “ – and it seems that’s what Llambias wanted in a manager, somebody who would get fully involved with the transfers and other things at the club.
And certainly to our huge surprise since Alan arrived at Newcastle, he seems to have been born to be a Newcastle manager and he’s doing a great job – there’s no doubt about that.
If you can watch Alan’s press conference yesterday on nufcTV, you see a man who obviously loves Newcastle and loves being the manager, and it comes across all the time.
Pardew is also clear that it’s a job in progress at the club and that Newcastle must eventually get back into Europe, but he said if we don’t make it next season, it’s not the end of the world, and would be ahead of schedule.
Chris Hughton did a great job at the club and he is loved by Newcastle fans, and of course he’s doing really well at Birmingham City with hardly no resources, and certainly no money and Colin Calderwood is back working with his good friend.
We hope to see Chris bring Birmingham, back into the Premier League and then when he finally returns to St. James’ Park he will get the great acclaim his stellar work at Newcastle deserves.
Chris is already down in the annals at Newcastle United for his very successful 18 months in the manager job, when he brought Newcastle back from the brink.
Chris brought the pride, passion and respect back to Newcastle, and we will always be grateful to Chris for that.
He’s just a smashing guy and a real gentleman.
Comments welcome.
23 comments so far
Demba_Ba
Mar 9, 2012 at 10:55 AM
Comment #1http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/lets-back-mike-ashley/signatures
cyprus
Mar 9, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Comment #2Sorry Lamb,
You did not justify Chris departure in this statement…
Beattie25
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:02 AM
Comment #3Cyprus if I have said it once I have said it a thousand times, you talk absolute gubbins!
Ba and Cisse have played with each other in the team for what? 3 and a half games? Cisse has not yet had a settling in period which Ba did over the summer. Both were probably exhausted mentally and physically after the acon and Cisse wasn’t fully fit against the Mackems.
Yet you say you are ‘unsure’ about the partnership and that you prefer best and Ba. Ha ha ha
What a goon you must be. That’s like saying you prefer perch and Colo because we have conceded more with willo in the team!
You, Jayphoto and Dannyo are the epitomy of short sighted nonsense spouting, band wagon jumping, arm chair supporting posters on this blog.
Can you justify to me why you even bother blogging?
davybtoon
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Comment #4Cyprus pardew far better than houghton that alone justifys it
Jonny
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:04 AM
Comment #5really off topic but how did Valencia not win anything when they had Mata, Silva and Villa in the same team??? Just came in to my head!!
Eastander
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:06 AM
Comment #6@5 I dunno but that has to compete for the shortest striking line up ever!
Eastander
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #7I can see Hughton being a bit like Warnock, great at getting teams promoted but then might struggle to do anything with them when they get to the Premiership, hopefully if Birmingham come up they will keep hold of him and see what he can do
davybtoon
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:07 AM
Comment #8@5 real Madrid n barca that’s why
Indian Magpie
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:15 AM
Comment #9I think they won Copa del Rey under Ronald Koeman
stuart no9
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:16 AM
Comment #10lambs- you waffelled on about nowt in that interview, ” they were shouting pards name quicker than other people ” i didnt hear it , load of garbage lambs – p…s off
Indian Magpie
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Comment #11http://www.london24.com/sport/arsenal/newcastle_missing_five_for_trip_to_arsenal_1_1232683
this says guthrie nt in the squad to face arsenal
Beattie25
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Comment #12I watched a bit of the man ure bilbao game last night and it got me thinking.
In terms of coverage, fan support and passion English football is unrivalled in world football.
Recently though I think we are seriously being left behind in terms of quality on the pitch. Our teams this year have all played dire football at times. Maybe only man citys early season form or spurs recent form would be held in high regard when compared to other teams in Europe! As an avid football fan and watcher ofall leagues I am worried our club football is slightly on the decline much like our national team of recent years.
Bilbao were immense last night and they are not the only example of teams going through a Renaissance of quality.
Napoli, ac Milan, Dortmund, bayern Munich, sporting Lisbon andant more are progressing so much thatxit is only a matter of time before someone can really push barca in a match.
English teams have looked poor when compared against some of thier European counterparts so hopefully we are following in the footsteps of the likes of bilbao and Napoli who don’t have the massive turnover of the bigger teams in their respective leauges but have the quality to match them.
Anyway back to Newcastle, I had a dream last night that perching won the ballon do’r. Any thoughts what this could mean?
Ibizatoon
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Comment #13I was gutted to see Hoots go and thought it was a mental idea and really badly handled. However, I would think it reasonable to say it was a good decision and the club is better off now.
Beattie25
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Comment #14* perching? Perch
Ibizatoon
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #15Beattie…Could mean you need to lay of the cheese before bed.
Indian Magpie
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Comment #16Beattie25
More likely to win Balloons, and like to be shown the door
Indian Magpie
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:31 AM
Comment #17likely 2 b shown
toonfan_Ew Ew
Mar 9, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Comment #18Oh Llambiarse, you really make my blood boil! You remind me of a certain Joey Barton/ Joe Kinnear and the way they always used to come out with ridiculously opinionated remarks….Mort is by far a more likeable character than you…..
LGFUAD21
Mar 9, 2012 at 12:19 PM
Comment #19Depends what you mean about justify?
I think he’s said it pretty clear. He wanted someone who would challenge the board and Pardew does that.
I accept Hughtons departure seemed very unfair given all he had done. but at the same time we needed someone different to take us forward. I didnt expect that person to be Pardew but hes my manager and i support him
Sav
Mar 9, 2012 at 12:51 PM
Comment #20So much for maintaining a dignified silence. There’s just nothing dignified about this geezer. Mostly Llambias is stone-silent but when he opens his gob I just wish he’d shut it again, he’s an embarrassment. Leave it alone.
I like Pardew but still have sour taste over CH’s sacking and this interview, I agree, tells us nowt. I always have to check for my watch and wallet after reading anything DL says.
cupiddstunt
Mar 9, 2012 at 2:43 PM
Comment #21Cyprus @ # 2
Without reading between the lines he made it very clear as to why there was a change of manager.
AP will argue his position and give as good as he gets.
DL said shortly after the Hoots sacking it was because Hoots was not a snap decision maker and did not argue his corner very well.
I think it was during DL’s drunken session that he said Hoots got the bullet because when he (DL) asked a question he expected a straight answer and not a polite one as he claimed Hoots was prone to doing.
swoopingmagpie
Mar 9, 2012 at 7:18 PM
Comment #22I couldnt disagree more with these views of Lambias. For my money Pardew is a poor manager and he has been lucky in the first half of the season. Poor decision making and lack of forsight is turning what should be a good run into a disaster. We will not get the playing side right with these people running the team.
geordiejamie89
Mar 9, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Comment #23Some people might say he has not justified properly, however:
Newcastle are heading towards a European competition, proudly showing their finanical situation, and investing in the right players ( not 35 million on Caroll or 50 million on Torres). I think the Newcastle heirachy have justified themselves about as much as they need to, and the minute the fans give them a little bit of space without slagging off, we might start building a decent relationship. After all, what’s it going to take? We’ve been very good this season. Even the likes of Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton being sold, they aren’t playing too well at present, if only we’d managed to hang on to Enrique. He wanted a bigger club, and went to a club at present below us in the table in a smaller stadium, but hey.