Pards reveals Baggies anger
BAGGIES BOSS’ RALLYING CRY TO BASEMENT BATTLERS
ALAN PARDEW admits there has been “conflict” in West Brom’s dressing room as they fight for their lives. Pardew’s job is on the line at Watford today, where defeat is
ALAN PARDEW has told West Brom’s unhappy stars to play for the club and not make their plight “personal” amid growing dressing-room dissent.
His job is on the line at Watford today after only picking up one win in 14 Premier League games since replacing Tony Pulis – with the Baggies slumping to the bottom of the table.
Pardew was relegated in 2007 with Charlton and said his players need to appreciate the consequences of going down.
He said: “It is not a personal thing and I don’t think it should be personal.
“It is not about pointing the finger at anybody, it is about pointing your finger at yourself and improving yourself.
“It is about the football club and these guys who are paid a lot of money to play for this club. Obviously, I am the manager, but there is everybody associated with this situation.
“I have made it very clear to them that people will lose jobs.
“It might be the manager, it might be staff underneath me who have to lose their jobs if we get relegated.
“I have only been relegated once in my career and I know the impact that had at that club, it was massive.
“I don’t want that to happen here so I am going to try and fight for that not to happen.”
The Baggies’ Chinese owner Guochuan Lai has recently sacked Albion chairman John Williams and chief executive Martin Goodman.
Asked if he could be next after today’s game, Pardew replied: “I don’t know, it is not my decision. But if you think I am going to walk away with the experience I have got and a team that probably isn’t functioning well then you are wrong. I have to try and make it function as long as I can.
“When you get criticism you have to stand up and answer it. Unfortunately, I cannot play but I will be shouting at a few.”
Pardew’s controversial reign includes four senior stars breaking a curfew in Barcelona and allegedly stealing a taxi. The antics were a flagrant breach of Pardew’s authority which was further hit by a dressing-room rant after last week’s loss to Huddersfield by Chris Brunt, who has since apologised.
Mirror Sport understands that some players feel Pardew has lost his touch after just seven wins from 52 league games stretching back to his time in charge at Crystal Palace.
Albion’s latest loss, their fifth in a row, sparked criticism about tactics with players wanting to revert back to the 3-5-2 system which brought them their best result in the FA Cup in a shock win at Liverpool.
Pardew has taken the comments on board and has promised changes.
He added: “I would be foolish and not a good manager if I didn’t listen to those comments, look at them in reflection and come up with some answers, which hopefully I have.”
Pardew is again without the injured Baggies trio of Daniel Sturridge, Nacer Chadli and James Morrison.
And he admitted: “It has been the toughest group to find answers with. But it doesn’t daunt me, one win and it can all change.”