Pardew’s future hangs by a thread ahead of talks with Albion chief
Alan Pardew will hold crisis talks with West Bromwich Albion today, with his future once again under fierce scrutiny. Pardew is to meet Mark Jenkins, the chief executive, and will discuss the Premier League strugglers’ plans for the remainder of the season following their seventh successive defeat.
The 56-year-old admitted he would understand if Albion ended his tenure after the 4-1 defeat to Leicester City, while he is also facing a huge battle to motivate his squad amid growing tension in the dressing room.
Pardew has only survived due to a lack of available replacements, with Albion’s perilous position making managers reluctant to take on what appears a futile survival mission. They are eight points adrift of safety with eight games left, but have secured only three league victories all season.
Albion are ready to ‘reboot’ the club in the summer, with many players poised to leave and an innovative new head coach expected to lead their recovery in the Championship.
Michael Appleton, Leicester’s assistant manager and a former West Brom player and coach, Brentford’s Dean Smith and Aberdeen’s Derek Mcinnes are all seen as potential contenders for the summer.
But Pardew’s stormy reign could end in the next few days if the hierarchy believe a change will save their season from completely disintegrating.
He appeared to almost invite his dismissal on Saturday evening and the board cannot have failed to detect the apathy that is spreading around the Hawthorns.
Pardew said: “It’s tough to stand there and experience that last period of the game, so I’ll dwell on that a little bit and make sure I build myself up – because, if I’m not built up, then we really are struggling.
“We have to still believe and still fight. I’m not going to make excuses for the players, but we’ve got to fight to the end. I think the fans can see the struggles in the team. We’re not doing certain things and we’re not the best team in the world, technically, and we’ve got to work and keep digging in.”
This was only Leicester’s third win in 13 league games, easing the pressure on manager Claude Puel after a poor run, but it never looked in doubt after Jamie Vardy’s wonderful goal.
West Brom had taken the lead through Salomon Rondon’s closerange strike, but Vardy’s equaliser, a brilliantly taken volley from Riyad Mahrez’s long pass, transformed the visitors. Mahrez poked them ahead in the 62nd minute before late headers from substitute Kelechi Iheanacho and Vicente Iborra secured a comfortable victory.
Puel will now take his players to Marbella on a warm-weather training camp this week as he plots victory over Chelsea in Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final.
Four weeks after West Brom’s now infamous trip to Barcelona, when four senior players were fined after allegedly hijacking a taxi, Puel insists the change of scene will prove beneficial.
“It’s a good opportunity for the squad to spend some time together and to make sure we are prepared both for next weekend’s game and for the final eight Premier League matches of the season. We want to finish the season in the best way possible and good preparation together is very important to give us the best chance,” he said.
“It’s a long season, which can be difficult for the body and the mind, so I think a different setting, some time together as a squad and a good focus on our work will be good for everybody.
“If we are to make sure we use the trip to be ready for the final games, it’s important to get the balance right between hard work on the training pitch and the correct levels of rest and recovery.”