Newcastle boss Alan Pardew comes with more managerial lives than a cat. He’s survived relegation-threatened seasons, double defeats to local rivals Sunderland, seven-game touchline bans and a near-permanent frosty relationship with the fanbase since taking the St. James’ Park hotseat back in 2010.
But it appears the 53-year-old’s position as Magpies manager has now become untenable – the Toon currently find themselves at the bottom of the Premier League table with just two points in four games following a humiliating 4-0 defeat to Southampton at the weekend.
Pardew was already operating on borrowed time on Tyneside, so the tabloids have proceeded with haste in mooting potential replacements for the 53 year-old.
Thus, without further ado, here’s a list of FIVE potential successors to Alan Pardew at Newcastle.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON THE UNDER-FIRE GAFFER TO REVEAL ALL
[/ffc-gallery]
[ffcvideo file=”TopFiveVideosoftheWeek” type=”mp4″]
STEVE BRUCE
One candidate for the Newcastle gig that’s already hit the tabloids is Hull City boss Steve Bruce:
The 53 year-old branded links with the Magpies post ‘disrespectful’ over the weekend, but heckled out of the Sunderland dugout in 2011 for being a ‘fat Geordie b*****d’, it’s no secret Bruce is a lifelong Toon fan. //www.youtube.com/embed/bHB_6vItYG8?rel=0 It could well be the managerial role he was born to take and consistent Premier League spells with Birmingham, Wigan Athletic, the Black Cats and now Hull City further back up the former Manchester United defender’s managerial credentials. Although Bruce is the tabloids’ pick as the next Newcastle boss and his stock in England is at an all-time high after guiding the Tigers to the 2014 FA Cup final – and subsequently, Europa League qualification – it remains to be seen if Mike Ashley is prepared to fork out a compensation agreement for his next manager. The Sports Direct owner’s prior history suggests an unemployed appointment is considerably more likely.
DAVID MOYES
The bookies, on the other hand, are backing Manchester United flop David Moyes to become the next St. James’s Park boss.
The Scot endured a nightmare ten months in charge at Old Trafford, leading the Red Devils to the worst title defence in Premier League history since the 38-game season began. In case you need to remember how bad it got…
//www.youtube.com/embed/i7W4xh7s5n8?rel=0
But Moyes’ sensational rise at Everton has not been forgotten – he transformed the Toffees from relegation candidates into top six regulars during his eleven years at Goodison Park. In that time, he won the LMA Manager of the Year award three times; in 2003, 2005 and 2009.
The 51 year-old needs to rebuild his reputation after the hellish United stint and rejection from Galatasaray earlier this summer further suggests he’ll be prepared to take on a less coveted club.
But Moyes was on £4million-per-year at Everton and £3.5million-per-year at Manchester United, so in terms of potential wages, he’s by far the most expensive option on this list.
TONY PULIS
//www.youtube.com/embed/t_x4XzBnrww?rel=0
After transforming Stoke City into the sturdy mid-table Premier League side they are today and producing nothing short of a footballing miracle at Crystal Palace last season, Tony Pulis has to be considered a strong candidate for almost any top flight vacancy.
Indeed, the 56 year-old picked up the Eagles in November last season with just seven points but guided them to a shock 11th-place finish. That marked the first Premier League survival in the club’s history and saw Pulis named Manager of the Season.
The former Bristol City, Gillingham and Potters gaffer has made his reputation from overachieving with underwhelming budgets – something which will certainly appeal to Mike Ashley.
But he left Palace by mutual consent at the start of the current season reportedly due to a dispute over control of transfer policy at Selhurst Park, and it remains to be seen how much license Ashley would issue Pulis in terms of recruitment.
His long-ball philosophy too, although clearly effective at top flight level, may not sit well with the Toon faithful who still remember the free-scoring days of Kevin Keegan’s tenures.
Either way, the Newcastle owner will have to act quickly with Pulis strongly tipped to take over from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Cardiff City:
NEIL LENNON
Neil Lennon left Celtic at the end of last season on his terms and the former Hoops captain was billed as a candidate for several Premier League and Championship jobs available at the time.
Indeed, after claiming three consecutive SPL titles with the Bhoys, two Scottish Cups and masterminding some of the most memorable European nights in the club’s history, including this Champions League victory over Barcelona…
//www.youtube.com/embed/E9be3uZYvBg?rel=0
…the Northern Irishman’s planned move to English football felt inevitable. But he’s still waiting for the perfect opportunity and that could well be Newcastle, although a lack of managerial experience in the Premier League will work against him.
Lennon is a feisty character and no stranger to touchline confrontations:
//www.youtube.com/embed/iv6qCSXmp04?rel=0
But he offers great potential as a manager and could prove an inspired choice for the Toon dugout.
STEVE CLARKE
One of the rank outsiders with odds of 33/1 – rather worryingly, the same odds as Joe Kinnear – is former West Brom boss Steve Clarke.
The 51 year-old may not have the faith of the bookies but he knows St. James’s Park well, having worked as assistant to Ruud Gullet from 1998-99, helping the Magpies reach the 1999 FA Cup final, before acting briefly as caretaker following the Dutchman’s resignation.
Although his Hawthorns stay was Clarke’s only spell as a No.1, he’s served as assistant at Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham, working with the likes of Jose Mourinho, Gianfranco Zola and Kenny Dalglish, and is held in high regard throughout English football.
He also guided the Baggies to eighth during his first ever season as a permanent manager, recording their highest win percentage in the Premier League era and the club’s best top flight campaign since 1981. The season will be remembered most for this 5-5 victory with Manchester United on the final day:
//www.youtube.com/embed/1rKOdVAKTv8?rel=0
The former Chelsea defender was given his marching orders in December 2013 however after a run of four straight defeats, a decision viewed by many as exceptionally harsh. Clarke was then placed on gardening leave until May 2014, and surprisingly missed out on the recently-vacated Crystal Palace job to Neil Warnock.
His hard-working philosophy suits the Magpies well but as previously mentioned, the don’t bookies believe he’s one of Mike Ashley’s priority choices.