Going into the final five games of the Premier League season his team sit above Chelsea and level on points with Tottenham in fourth. This is the team that weren’t meant to be anywhere near the Champions League spots. That was for the London sides and Liverpool. Yet Newcastle are significantly out performing Liverpool, and are threatening to do the same to Roberto di Matteo and Harry Redknapp’s teams too. It is quite an achievement for a team in their second season back in the top flight, and who have spent little money.
Just to recap, Newcastle sold Kevin Nolan and Joey Barton for cut price fees to West Ham and QPR last summer. Those sales were acts of genius. Getting rid of over hyped, egotistical players whose main attributes are being able to run around a lot and get in the opponents’ faces, they actually signed players with some skill in their place. In came Sylvain Marveaux, though he has figured rarely due to injury, and the talented Yohan Cabaye, and absolute bargain at £4 million from Lille. At a price similar to that they sold Nolan for, but the Frenchman is considerably better. Jose Enrique also jumped ship as Newcastle were accused by their departing ‘stars’ to be a laughing stock with no plan.
Suspicions that they were right were founded on the sale Andy Carroll last season and the decision not to replace him with a big name signing. Instead, they brought in Demba Ba for free. This is one of the reasons Alan Pardew has done such a terrific job. When handed money to spend, and a significant amount, his reaction was not just to spend as much as possible on a big name. His instinct has been to bring in players of quality but also of value. Quite a contrast to Liverpool, who had spent extravagantly on Carroll because of the sale of Fernando Torres. They should have taken a leaf out of Newcastle’s books. Pardew then bided his time before pouncing for Papiss Demba Cisse, who was on the market last summer but was considerably cheaper in January with Freiburg battling against relegation in the Bundesliga. Another brilliant signing, and then throw in Hatem ben Arfa, and Newcastle have a formidable forward line, signed for half of Carroll.
It is nothing short of managerial genius. Pardew doesn’t play the passing possession based game of some, but his style is still intelligent, skilful and measured. Having got rid of the over the top Joey Barton, he now has a team that is both combative and fair; something that could not be said last season. He also has a team which when it gets the ball, can play it quickly and effectively on the floor forward to counter attack with skill. Newcastle invite their opponents onto them, like Manchester United confident in the knowledge that the quality of their defence should be able to resist pressure.
Much credit also goes to Mike Ashley for having faith in Pardew and actually sticking to a long term plan – a rarity in the modern game. And to Tony Carr for his brilliant scouting work in France; noticing the obvious that many British coaches have missed for a while – there is better value on the continent than in England. Newcastle’s philosophy, based on bringing in talented foreigners for considerably less than their English counterparts, has put them in the Champions League mix. It would be just reward for them to finish fourth now, and would show the Premier League’s lesser lights the way forward.
