Pardew prepares for tough Toon opener

Jason Mellor

Alan Pardew faces a frosty reception from Newcastle United supporters after taking charge as manager.

Chris Hughton’s name will ring around St James’ Park for the visit of Premier League rivals Liverpool on Saturday, but the new man in charge has welcomed fans paying tribute to his sacked predecessor. Newcastle supporters are still in shock at the unexpected departure of the popular Hughton, and unimpressed at his low-profile replacement, whose last job saw him sacked by third-tier club Southampton in August.

Protests similar to those when former manager Kevin Keegan left the club in 2008 are planned against multi-millionaire owner Mike Ashley, who has come under renewed fire from the stands after appointing a sixth manager of his turbulent three-and-a-half-year reign.

Untroubled

Roy Hodgson’s visitors have had a far from untroubled campaign so far, but their problems are for once eclipsed as they travel to the North-East looking to build on a comfortable 3-0 victory over Aston Villa that took them back into the top half of the table.

Keen to make an instant impression, Pardew has shunned a chance to watch from the stands, preferring instead to lead from the front and spark an upturn for a Newcastle side that has dropped into the bottom half of the table after five games without a win.

After signing a five-and-a-half year contract believed to be worth an annual 750,000 pounds (1.2 million dollars) with incentive-based bonus payments, the former West Ham manager insists he can win over the many doubters on his return to the Premier League after a three-and-a-half-year hiatus.

“I know I’m not going to win the PR battle. That’s just a battle I’m not going to win. The battles I need to win are out on the pitch.

“I’m not going to compare myself to Chris. I’m a competent manager and my message is that I didn’t determine what happened to him. I’m the new guy.”

Problem

“The problem I’m going to have initially is with the players and making sure I get my message across to them with clarity about them carrying any resentment towards me.

“If there’s a protest for Chris to show him their support then I don’t have a problem with that but I hope it is over with quickly and the fans start supporting their team. “I can’t wait to get started and what better way to kick off than welcoming Liverpool to St. James’ Park?

Massive

“I’ve got one and a half days to prepare for a massive game. Our home form is something we need to address and we can’t let another one slip by.” Liverpool had initially hoped Steven Gerrard would be fit for the visit to St James’ Park but Hodgson confirmed the England midfielder will be out.

Gerrard, the Liverpool captain, has not figured since sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty in November and despite making good progress, the trip to the north-east has come a week too soon.

“We’ve always been thinking more that he’d be fit to face Fulham the following week.” Hodgson explained. “It would have been much too early to be considered for Newcastle, but he is making very good progress.

Torres back

But Liverpool will have Fernando Torres back in their side after the striker missed Monday’s win over Villa to be with his wife as she gave birth to a boy.

Liverpool will be without Daniel Agger, who has not featured since September 25 against Sunderland due to a calf injury while Jay Spearing (broken ankle) and Jamie Carragher (dislocated shoulder) will also be missing.

NEWCASTLE, England, Friday, AFP