Mike Ashley paving the way for return of Alan Pardew?
Mike Ashley has had 10 managers in his time at Newcastle United.
Only one of those has willingly walked away.
Quite amazing when you consider that it was the manager who was willing to do and say absolutely anything on behalf of his master.
Step forward Alan Pardew.
It was truly a case of the worm that had turned, when even Alan Pardew found that he’d had enough of Mike Ashley.
As for the NUFC owner, he didn’t appear to fight the decision at all, even though it was bang in the middle of a Premier League season.
Which owner allows a manager to walk away mid-season, especially only two years into an eight year contract…
What could possibly go wrong?
I think Mike Ashley really thought he had cracked it, employ a cheap desperate manager who would take the job under any circumstances, wit no say on transfers.
So the chance to get £2m compensation off Palace AND employ somebody even cheaper and more desperate in John Carver, was an absolutely dream scenario. Only problem was that Carver almost relegated Newcastle from what had looked an impossible position.
Here are those who have worked under Mike Ashley at NUFC:
Sam Allardyce – Sacked
Kevin Keegan – Constructive dismissal
Joe Kinnear – Heart bypass operation
Alan Shearer – Blanked (asked by Mike Ashley to give him plan on moving forward, never heard from him again)
Chris Hughton – Sacked
Alan Pardew – Willingly walked away
John Carver – Sacked
Steve McClaren – Sacked
Rafa Benitez?
Whisper it quietly but Alan Pardew still hasn’t found a job.
I hear you shout, there is absolutely no way even Mike Ashley would do that…but if Rafa Benitez if forced out by the owner, why wouldn’t it be a possibility.
An out of work Alan Pardew taken on after being sacked by a League One club, Joe Kinnear appointed from nowhere after years out of management, John Carver promoted from his job of agreeing with everything Alan Pardew was told to say by Mike Ashley, out of work Steve McClaren appointed after sacked in the Championship.
Interesting to see just how things went for Alan Pardew when he walked out on Newcastle United four and a half years ago…
3 January 2015 – 22 December 2016 employed by Crystal Palace (In 2016 Palace were the worst performing club of all 92 clubs in the four divisions).
29 November 2017 – 2 April 2018 employed by West Brom (Ensured the Baggies were relegated with only one PL win in over four months in charge).
Basically, he has worked for four of these past twenty nine months.
That would be no barrier to Mike Ashley though.
Plus we know that Alan Pardew has the absolute brass neck for anything.
If Mike Ashley forces Rafa Benitez out, he will be hated by the Newcastle fans to the max, so what has he got to lose.
I could see him absolutely loving it, the reaction of Newcastle United supporters, if Alan Pardew reappeared.
I can already hear/see the Ashley PR stooges churning it out…
‘Sadly, no agreement could be reached with Rafa Benitez.
‘We wish him well after the great job he has done at Newcastle United but now both parties must move on.
‘With negotiations having gone on so long and with such limited time, we felt Alan was the ideal candidate.
‘Somebody who knows the club so well and who led Newcastle United to that wonderful fifth place finish and to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
‘We welcome Alan Pardew back and it was also a massive positive that luckily he was in a position to instantly take up the job.
‘We now hope that everybody can now move forward and work together: the board, manager, players and fans, to continue the excellent progress that has been made under Rafa Benitez.’
Never say never when it comes to anything (bad) happening at Newcastle United under Mike Ashley.
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