ASHLEY STILL RELUCTANT TO BOOT OUT HIS MANAGER
ALAN PARDEW has been handed a twogame stay of execution as he battles to keep his job.
Newcastle’s under-pressure boss has been given time to turn things around as the Geordies endure their worst start to a season for 11 years.
Pardew is set for talks this week with owner Mike Ashley, but the manager’s future ISN’T thought to be in imminent danger, even with David Moyes waiting in the wings.
Toon are only off the bottom of the Premier League thanks to goals scored after a winless start took its latest turn for the worse with defeat at Stoke in front of the club’s watching billionaire owner.
The Toon Army are baying for blood, but strong-willed Ashley will once again show that he doesn’t bow to pressure and will stand by his man – for the time being at least.
Pardew has been told to take the team as normal for Saturday’s tough Premier League trip to Swansea, where they will look to pick up three points for the first time in seven attempts this campaign.
Even if they slump to another defeat at the Liberty Stadium, the club hierarchy expect Pardew to be in charge for the visit of Leicester on October 18.
Restless
Toon legend Shay Given insists Pardew remains the right man for the job, despite the clamour for him to go.
And the ex-Republic of Ireland keeper insists the players must shoulder their share of the blame for the slump.
“The fans are restless and calling for Pardew to go,” he said.
“But it’s very difficult for the team and boss to perform under that sort of pressure.
“The results obviously haven’t been good, but getting someone sacked isn’t always the answer.
“Pardew has signed a long contract and Mike Ashley has got a lot of faith in him, so I’m not sure they should just get rid of him.
“It’s difficult at the minute but if they get a couple of wins under their belt, they can turn things around quickly.
“If they can just get that first win, they can push on.
“You do feel for the manager because it’s not only his fault – the players have got to take responsibility too.”
Pardew is determined to turn things around but seems powerless to halt a disastrous run of form this calendar year.
Newcastle have won just one of their last 14 league games, with only five wins in the whole of 2014 to put his near four-year reign under serious threat.
Ashley handed Pardew a bumper eight-year contract in 2012 and has so far refused to bow to mounting calls for action from supporters.
The Sports Direct founder has stayed loyal to the 53-year-old – and in any case, is also unwilling to fork out a seven-figure sum to part company with the former West Ham boss.