Newcastle’s Pardew Outclasses sunderland’s O’Neill

Obviously disappointed to have dropped two points against such an average side but after such a poor showing first half and going into injury time one down (after missing a penalty), you have to see it as a moral victory for Newcastle United on the pitch.

In the aftermath off the pitch you have to see it as Newcastle claiming another victory, as I have to say that Alan Pardew has gone even further up in my estimation  as he has wiped the floor with Martin O’Neill in the post-match comments….

Martin O’Neill “We were coping with them until we went down to 10 men.” Stephane’s (Sessegnon) was a red-card offence and Lee (Cattermole) cannot be doing that sort of thing [swearing at the referee].

He should leave it to me, but in mitigation we’d heard some of their staff visited the referee’s room at half-time. Lee felt a lot of decisions went Newcastle’s way in the second half. That’s not saying I agree with that, but I think even Newcastle would agree they were lucky to still have 11 men on the field. Tiote is a fine player, but he was lucky to stay on the pitch”.

Alan Pardew “I didn’t like the way it started with the first tackle, it was premeditated and I’m disappointed with that. I think Cattermole would have gone off at any other time. That set the tone, it was more about being physical than anything else.

That (visiting the referee) is completely untrue. None of our staff entered the referee’s room or the officials’ dressing room.

The game was a little bit unsavoury at times and we probably should have been more grown up about it. If we overstepped the mark, myself included, I apologise.

We shake hands at the end and it’s all forgotten, at least in my case. I’d have liked to have a drink and a chat with Martin, but I hear he’s already gone, so I’ll be drinking alone”.

What trampy behaviour by O’Neill, making wild claims about allegedly pressurising the referee which he obviously hasn’t seen for himself.

The icing on the cake though is the mackem manager scurrying off back to mackemland (or wherever it is in Newcastle he lives if he’s anything like his players!) rather than doing the done thing of having a chat and a drink with his opposite number.

I’m beginning to believe it must be true that O’Neill has always been a sunderland fan at heart!