Pardew set for crunch talks on future
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is preparing for crunch talks with club owner Mike Ashley following the 1-0 loss at Stoke - and very much aware the axe could be hovering above him.
Pardew expects to have "some serious conversations" over the next few days with Ashley, who said in the build-up to the match the manager would be ''finished'' if it ended in defeat - a comment Newcastle later insisted was made in jest.
What Ashley subsequently saw from the stands on Monday was no laughing matter for him, Pardew or Newcastle's fans as the Tyneside outfit's wait for a victory in the Premier League this term extended to six games.
Pardew's side have only won once in 14 league fixtures stretching back to last season, with 10 of those games ending in defeat, and they are second-bottom of the table with three points, above Burnley on goals scored alone.
Several signs reading 'Sack Pardew' were held up by Newcastle supporters at the Britannia Stadium and, while vowing not to quit what he described as a "tough" job, the 53-year-old admitted afterwards there was a "big question mark" over his position.
Regarding the calls for his head from the fans, Pardew said: "This is a tough job - make no bones about that.
"The fans are giving their honest opinion of what they believe.
"I looked at them at the end and clapped them to show I respect their views. I'm not going to hide from it.
"I know there is a big question mark about me being at this club and the only way I can answer it is to do the job to the best of my ability and try to come up with the answers.''
Pardew emphasised the need for him and his players to "fight", before adding: "I think we'll (he and Ashley) have some serious conversations before Saturday (when Newcastle face Swansea away) because he doesn't want to lose and nor do I.''
Pardew has no doubt the key issue for his side is a lack of cutting edge going forward.
Newcastle rarely looked like equalising after Stoke went in front via Peter Crouch's 15th-minute header, although Jack Colback missed a golden chance to level when he hit the bar late on.
Pardew said: "The last third is obviously a problem for us and we have to put that right.
"We didn't create enough - I'm not going to make any excuses. We had a big chance with Jack, who is beating himself up about it.
"But a draw would have been as bad as a defeat really tonight. We need to get a win and get it quick.''
Meanwhile, Stoke boss Mark Hughes, whose side bagged their first home points of the campaign, said: ``It was an important win for us, a big win.
"There has been a little bit of negativity around our home form. But we always felt it was only a matter of time before our home form turned around."
