By his own admission, Keegan would feel reluctant to criticise any manager in Pardew's situation, considering the leadership situation he is forced to work with on a daily basis. With the Hyypia example - as well as the Luka Modric revelation that tops this feature - Keegan said fans should consider that Pardew could well be facing the same adversity that he had to endure, and doesn't necessarily deserve to be castigated. Keegan's drawn-out point was that it is not as clear-cut a situation as fans might suspect from outside. When pressed by a member of the audience, seemingly intent on asking whether Pardew owed Ashley money - an enduring rumour that fans seem drawn to beyond all else, despite the unlikeliness - Keegan stated he didn't know the situation behind the manager's appointment.