Despite breaking literally every single negative record in Newcastle United's history, Alan Pardew was looked at in glowing terms by those outside of NE1. The current Crystal Palace manager won plenty of plaudits due to the obvious restrictions he was working under at St James' Park under Mike Ashley. However, for those who turned up week after week and bore witness to the utter drivel he produced on the pitch, it was blatantly obvious those compliments were misplaced. It was clear that someone, seemingly anyone at the time, could have done more with the tools that Pards was working with. To say the former West Ham manager was hounded out of Newcastle is wrong. Yes, strong protests were made which each and every fan that pays his hard earned cash has the right to air, but at the end of the day he decided to leave for Crystal Palace on his own accord. Not that anyone was complaining, mind... Now this is where things become a bit blurred. There's little doubting that the Toon Army, as they're so affectionately labelled by the regional press, got what they wanted when Pardew left for pastures new which only tells half the story. Mike Ashley received no less than £3.5 million for his manager, money that would have been reinvested in a much more qualified manager by a normal football owner with the best interests of his club at heart. But not the cockney though, that £3.5 mill was plonked straight into his back pocket and probably bought a nice speedboat, or something... Geordie John Carver, Pardew's subordinate and trusty leftenant was hired and things were magically expected to take an upward turn. What was Ashley, and Lee Charnley for that matter thinking? They tried (it remains to be seen how hard) to get a manager in but failed to do so. They were 'forced' to turn to the man that worked under Pardew and abided by his long ball ways for much of his four year tenure. Nothing was going to get better and that has proven to be the case. Throughout his career Carver has proven that when he has been given the top job at any club that he simply can't handle it, so why he has been cited as what every single Newcastle fan wished for is an insult. It also proves that not everyone understands what the true desires of the 50,000 that turn up at St James'... What they wanted was a bonafide manager with a track record of success while working at a big (ish) club. Or maybe even a young visionary that could have built something (and had it ripped apart at a mighty profit for the owner) over many years. When all is said and done Newcastle needed, and the fans wanted someone that would have been seen as a step up from Pardew, who had a spell at League One's Southampton before landing the Newcastle job remember? Is that too much to ask for? Your club to openly look for a bit of progression from time-to-time? Surely not. So if you're a fan of a rival club and find yourself reading this, and if The Toon do go down on Sunday do not throw "be careful what you wish for" at any Newcastle fan. As ever under the reign of Mike Ashley, they have received a cheap knockoff that they never, EVER wanted... For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCultureNUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
