Pardew is ‘thrilled’ to manage West Brom
WEST BROMWICH ALBION appointed Alan Pardew as manager on a two-and-a-half year contract, the Premier League club said yesterday.
Pardew returns to management for the first time since being sacked by Crystal Palace in December 2016 and replaces Tony Pulis at West Brom.
Pulis was sacked earlier this month with West Brom hovering above the relegation zone after four straight league defeats.
“I’m thrilled with the opportunity Albion have provided and looking forward to getting to work with what I consider to be a talented group of players,” Pardew said on the club website.
“The immediate challenge will be to get the results we need to pull ourselves up the table.
“But I’m aware that while I’m joining one of the great, traditional clubs of English football, it is one determined to go forward in the Premier League,” he added.
West Brom chairman John Williams said the 56-year-old, who was named the Premier League’s manager of the year for guiding Newcastle United to fifth place in the 2011/12 season, was a unanimous choice.
“Alan brings the experience of more than 300 Premier League games and the kind of dynamic leadership from which our club can benefit,” he said.
Caretaker boss Gary Megson left his role as assistant coach after leading the team to draws with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle in their last two games.
Pardew will take charge of his first game on Saturday against basement side Palace, who he guided to 10th in the 2014/15 season for their best Premier League finish and followed that up with a 15th-placed finish.
Former England boss Sam Allardyce has agreed a deal to become manager of Premier League Everton, Sky Sports reported yesterday, citing sources.
Allardyce, 63, stepped in to rescue struggling Crystal Palace from relegation midway through last season but resigned before the start of the current campaign.
He will replace Dutchman Ronald Koeman at Everton.
Everton sacked Koeman last month after a poor start to the season and placed their under23 coach David Unsworth in temporary charge, but results have not improved and the club are one place above the relegation zone.
The Merseysiders are in 17th place with 12 points from 13 games after three wins, three draws and seven defeats.– Reuters