Condemnation grows over Newcastle manager Alan Pardew’s infamous head butt of Hull City player
NEWCASTLE United legend Alan Shearer feels it will be very difficult for manager Alan Pardew to keep his job at the club.
NEWCASTLE United legend Alan Shearer feels it will be very difficult for manager Alan Pardew to keep his job at the club.
The Newcastle manager was sent to the stands after appearing to headbutt midfielder David Meyler during the 4-1 win for his side at the KC Stadium over the weekend.
Pardew has since been fined $A190,000 and issued with a formal warning by the club but Shearer feels there may be further action taken at St James’ Park.
“What on earth can Alan Pardew say to his players when they misbehave?” Shearer told Sky Sports.
“I have never seen anything like that before, ever.
Alan Pardew’s incident with Hull midfielder David Meyler is not his first time, Pardew has had a number of run ins with opposition players and staff.
“Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised, and I don’t think anybody will be surprised at all, if Alan Pardew were to resign over this.”
Meanwhile, England's League Managers' Association chief executive Richard Bevan labelled Pardew’s actions ‘unacceptable.’
“It's unacceptable, it's inappropriate and it's insupportable from every perspective and Alan knows that,” Bevan said.
“He immediately realised the serious error, (made) sincere apologies to all parties and obviously (has) deep regret.
“It was good to see (Hull manager) Steve Bruce's reaction and Hull accepting (Pardew's apology).
“But Alan does need to think hard about how not to put himself in that position again.”
Pardew said after the match he would have to “to sit down and stay out of the way” in future rather than roam his technical area to avoid getting caught up in similar incidents in future.
Bevan added: “I was pleased to see Newcastle in a very short period of time making a very swift, professional response that provided Alan with a very heavy fine and a formal warning.”
He also said the LMA was looking at ways to have managers positioned further away from the touchline in a bid to prevent future flare-ups.
“We did a technical report six or seven months ago, interviewing 40 referees and 40 managers, and we're looking at the moment how the technical area works in America, for example, in other sports and seeing how we can look to improve several problems that occur because of the positioning,” Bevan said.
However, he accepted the tight dimensions of some of England's older football grounds would pose problems, particularly given the need to keep managers and coaching staff away from supporters.
“But what we can do is make a serious effort to look at how the technical area should be placed,” said Bevan.
Former Crystal Palace manager Steve Coppell, who signed Pardew as player for the Eagles in 1987, said: “First and foremost, it was just wrong. He was the first to admit that.”
Pardew has a history of explosive touchline bust-ups, including a furious row with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger during his time at West Ham, and Coppell added: “He has got previous...He will regret it.
“I signed Alan from non-league football and, with all respect to him, it was a bit of a non-league reaction.”