Pardew faces Geordie fury at Hughton’s sacking

Spare a thought for poor Alan Pardew this morning. He starts his first full day in his new job as manager of Newcastle United by meeting a squad still seething at the dismissal of his predecessor, Chris Hughton.

Hughton was sacked on Monday and the ramifications continue to be felt at St James's Park, with one newspaper reporting that the Newcastle players had a "fiery showdown" with the club's managing director on Thursday.

According to the Daily Mirror, Derek Llambias held talks with senior Newcastle players about the sacking of Hughton and the appointment of Pardew but it soon descended into "an open shouting match" with Llambias allegedly accused of hiring "a casino crony" and a "yes man".

Pardew would say he fits neither of those descriptions. Nevertheless he's aware he is hardly a big-hitter in the managerial department. Having managed Reading, West Ham United and Charlton in the past, Pardew was sacked as manager of League One side Southampton in August. And he knows he will be compared unfavourably to the man whose position he now fills.

"It is obvious the players and the fans had a great amount of respect for Chris Hughton, and the fact he has gone has caused a stir," acknowledged Pardew. "People are upset about it and the problem I've got initially is with the players and making sure I get my message across with clarity and quickly."

One of Pardew's first moves was to contact club captain Kevin Nolan and organise a squad meeting for Friday in which he will ask to be given a chance to prove his worth. "I can't think of a player in the group that I've managed before, so I'm going to be something of a mystery to them," Pardew, 49, confessed.

"I have to make sure the players understand I'm a fair manager. It's a tough challenge. I need to make sure there isn't a massive impact on the team. Obviously this week there has been an impact on them, and that is not good for any group of players. It's important I bring some stability back to the dressing room and calm their fears."

But coming across as a good bloke isn't the only task confronting Pardew on Friday; there's also the little matter of preparing for the visit of Liverpool to St James's Park on Saturday, a game where Geordie fans are expected to vent their fury at Hughton's dismissal and Pardew's appointment.

Asked if he thinks he will be the target of protests before and during the game, Pardew replied: "It is not something I want and I certainly hope it doesn't last too long. But if there is a protest for Chris in terms of a nice protest and fans wanting to show him their support then I don't have a problem with that. That is their right.

"But I hope that anything like that is over with quickly and they start supporting their team... It is not about me after all, it is about the club. And we are going to need a lot of help to get past Liverpool who have just hit a bit of form."

Pardew has signed a five-and-a-half year deal with the Magpies, one that will net him £450,000-a-year, but few people expect him to last the distance at a club where seven managers have come and gone in the last six seasons. "I've had a lot of texts from managers saying 'You must be mad going there'," Pardew admitted. "But it's one of the top five clubs in England. It's a daunting prospect but something I couldn't turn down." ·