There's quite a lot of negativity regarding Pardew's appointment, but I can't talk given the way I reacted to both Irvine and Pulis. I'm inclined to repost and edit/expand what I said last night in the now locked New Manager thread:
We need a new broom and I wouldn't be disappointed if all of the Pulis-era coaching staff leave. The players need different voices, fresh ideas and new tactics. Pardew isn't my choice, I'd rather we'd gone for someone young, hungry and talented, but the Board was obviously given a remit by Mr Lai and regarded Pardew as the best available option. No doubt there will be plenty of Albion fans who are underwhelmed by this appointment, but consider the following:
- The 11 months since he left Palace is the longest period he's been out of football for. Therefore, he's had plenty of time to ponder why things have ended up going so pear-shaped in his previous job. He might also have learned that he needs to calm down a bit in the heat of the moment!
- After a very poor end to his tenure at Palace, he knows that he could be finished at this level if things go badly with us.
- Similarly, if he does harbour any ambitions to be the England manager in the future, he has to do a good job with us.
- He got Newcastle into Europe after they finished 5th in 2011-12 and has reached 2 FA Cup finals.
- He's the only English manager to win both the Premier League Manager of the Season award and the League Managers Association Manager of the Year award in the same Premier League season.
- When he took over at Palace in Jan 2015, he guided them out of the relegation zone to finish 10th - their highest Premier League finish.
- He is undeniably attack-minded; this will be a very welcome change for us!
- In many ways he's an antithesis to Pulis, but he's achieved more than Pulis over the years and also has a higher win percentage.
- He wants to come to us - several others who also fit Lai's remit seemingly didn't want to know.
- It won't be dull!!
Although The Fish doesn't seem to be impressed at the 5th place finish Pardew achieved at Newcastle, they don't look like repeating it any time soon, so it's not to be sniffed at. Yes the wheels came off afterwards, but that happens with lots of managers and I'm sure Pardew is very conscious of the bad runs he's had in his career. If the Board was doing its job, the panel would have asked him in his interview about the bad spells he's had and the reasons for them.
Carver was his assistant at Newcastle, where Pardew had the most success apart from his much shorter stint at Southampton, and I'm sure Pardew chose the person as his assistant who he thinks he can forge the best partnership with.
So, whilst Pardew wasn't my choice, I would urge everyone to put aside their prejudices about him and judge him on what he does during his time with us, rather than writing him off at the outset.