Over the weekend Newcastle boss Alan Pardew shocked English football by demonstrating another show of irresponsible aggression when he was witnessed headbutting Hull City player David Meyler during his team’s emphatic 4-1 win. His team’s solid display was marred by the situation which occurred in the 72nd minute of the game as Newcastle led 3-1 at the KC Stadium.
There has been so much scrutiny on players both on and off the pitch and the last few years have seen greater measures of discipline and attention placed on any player who displays poor attitude, aggression, defiance, unsportsmanlike-like behaviour. From fair play statistics, to fines, lack of first team football, cards and cautions and even transfers, English football has continued to generate rules and regulations to ensure players punch above their disciplinary weight. But it seems managers have been getting away with similar mishaps.
It could be argued that managers, bar a relatively low number of occasions, have never given reason for the same spotlight as footballers in English football. But a number of Alan Pardew’s ill-mannered ways over the years have arguably prepared us for the illogical showing he displayed as his team left Hull in despair on Saturday.
Pardew was fined £20,000 and received a two-match ban from the touchline for pushing assistant referee Peter Kirkup in a 2-1 win over Tottenham in late 2012. He later got caught calling Man City boss Pellegrini a ‘f***ing old c***’. We expected this would be the end of Pardew crossing the line, but in retrospect, his £10,000 fine seems relatively minuscule.
Newcastle were quick to respond to Pardew’s actions. He was fined £100,000 and issued a formal warning; but is this enough? I don’t know. I’m joined by many in stating that until Saturday, I was yet to see a manager head-butt a player before.
What equally surprises me when I witness another page of aggression in the novel that is Pardew, is his reactions. He appears to laugh off and downplay the incidents, and the fans and supporters of the sport are addressed with statements such as, ‘I hold my head in shame’ and ‘my behaviour was ridiculous’ and ‘I tried to push him away with my head’. Because that’s the norm of a manager with self-control, right?
It was no surprise Pardew found support in the form of former Newcastle player Joey Barton who tweeted, ‘Seen Pardew incident. As per usual. Massively over-hyped’. This is as you would expect from the fine specimen of sportsmanship that is Joey Barton. The Football Association has issued six disciplinary charges to Premier League clubs for offences within the technical area this season, a figure that is on the rise.
If Pardew was a player, I’m sure he would have a different reaction. The disciplinary action against him would be far greater. Just ask Carlos Tevez, or Mr Barton, or any player who has received punishment for his actions in that respect. What sort of impression does this incident give, not only to the Newcastle players who have such a manager, but to the rest of the world, who have also witnessed the second most experienced manager in the Premier League deciding to put down the squad sheet in return for handcuffs and a pair of boxing gloves? This doesn’t bode well for the Premier League.
Take nothing away from Pardew, he is a great manager and has demonstrated a high level managerial skill to put Newcastle in the position they find themselves today. Newcastle were well on their way to a convincing win, which is what again makes this even more inexcusable. It was said that Meyler shoved past him in an attempt to retrieve the ball to take a throw-in as Hull trailed, but the other facts of the matter are humble in comparison.
Has the FA failed to keep managers of teams in check? How much further will the likes of Pardew have to go for similar rules to be imposed on managers? If such behaviour has been somewhat disregarded in the eyes of the footballing world, how far does this behaviour go beyond the pitch? What managers or players do in their personal lives is their business, but since the tabloids are constantly filled with topics relating to escapades, convictions and often odd stories of players, it would be interesting to see what skeletons fall out of the closet in the day in the life of Alan Pardew and other managers. Food for thought.
And in the words of Former Newcastle Chairman Freddy Chairman, Pardew should be ‘made an example of’. It is necessary for the development of football and a problem that should have been addressed long before to prevent something like this happening. The FA would be wrong in giving Pardew another slap on the wrist for his transgressions. A cage as opposed to white lines to the technical area is arguably the only way to control Pardew.
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