West Brom - "We actually have a clue what to do now"

[Kal]

Ah right. (or should i say ah left)

He was the Education Secretary, so you probably have good reason mind.

[Zippity]

He was the Education Secretary, so you probably have good reason mind.

Exactamundo.

We've had some wankers but he took it to a new level...

[HughieG]

even though they're going down, they must be so pleased to be Unpardewed.

I remember that feeling well, the only problem we had on being Unpardewed, was we got carvered then Mcflurried.

But Merson and Wrighty says we're spoiled and have an unwarranted sense of entitlement - and they do know best after all.

[ghostrider]

People were saying things like " oh no not another Pardew thread."
Well here's another one and I'll stand by what I said earlier in other threads.

Alan Pardew is a decent manager and is on par with most managers outside of the elite.
He's proved it regardless of the downside, because most other managers also go down that route outside of the elite clubs.

I'll also say again. There's no real valid reason for the hatred of him.

[HughieG]

Alan Pardew is a decent manager and is on par with most managers outside of the elite.

You mean he's shyte like most other dinosaur managers outside of the elite?

[ghostrider]

You mean he's shyte like most other dinosaur managers outside of the elite?

No, I mean he's a decent manager doing a tough job like all managers do.
The problem with just about all managers is in the inevitable sack, generally.

It can be a feast and a famine and Pardew is exactly like that. A feast and famine manager like most.

[Zippity]

The problem with Pardew was that there was very, very little feast (and what there was that was good wasn't what I would consider feast (apart from the 5th season which, to be fair, was very decent indeed) but a huge amount of famine-and famine of the 'pit of your stomach, gnawing at your bones' variety.

But for me the key was the man himself-he was so full of shit, so weaselly in the way he tried to avoid ANY blame; he seemed to be a man who lacked class and honour and would blame anything no matter how ludicrous-including blaming us to the extent that he quickly eroded any of the goodwill towards him he'd managed to build up in that season we did so well.

We went through a terrible spell before Christmas, there were complaints over our style, man, you could even hoy the relegation into the equation...but throughout it all we stuck behind Rafa when the same run would have seen mutiny on the terraces if McClown or Pardew had been in charge. And that's because of the character of the man, his class, the way he bought into what we're about as a club and a city (synonymous, imo), his reputation and his ability. That he's now managing to get a tune out of these players is to do with his ability and not to do with him changing his tactics (the fact that it's taken so long is testament to just how hard a task it's been).

Just look at what he's achieved with the 3 players he was allowed to bring in-on loan-in January. Imagine if Ashley had backed him properly in the Summer!

Pardew has 1% of Rafa's footballing ability and NONE of his character. That's why he is despised and Rafa is loved.

All imo, naturally.

[HughieG]

No, I mean he's a decent manager doing a tough job like all managers do.
The problem with just about all managers is in the inevitable sack, generally.

It can be a feast and a famine and Pardew is exactly like that. A feast and famine manager like most.

Nah, too broad. You could say that about almost all managers in the world; there's good times and bad times. Well obviously. Doesn't mean they are all decent managers.

Where does Rafa fit into this equation of yours?

[ghostrider]

Nah, too broad. You could say that about almost all managers in the world; there's good times and bad times. Well obviously. Doesn't mean they are all decent managers.

Let's be totally honest. If they get to manage professional football clubs they have to be decent managers.
We can use all kinds of names to describe any manager but the reality is most do a decent job for some clubs and not so well at others.
Pardew has done fairly well at a good few clubs and not so good at others.
I think he did fair at our club but I certainly thought he was a decent manager under the circumstances.

Where does Rafa fit into this equation of yours?

Right now he's showing his stuff as a top manager and making me warm to him more and more since January.
If he carries on doing it then I'm going to sing his praises as a top man and manager.

I still stand by what I said about his earlier mistakes no matter what anyone thinks.

[tooslomofo]

Just read that when Rafa left Liverpool he gave £96,000 to the Hillsborough charity

It speaks volumes about his character
A true gentleman