Alan Pardew set to issue new director of football Joe Kinnear with a warning: I am still the manager of Newcastle United

Newcastle boss will defend terms of his contract in talks with new football director

Martin Hardy
Wednesday 19 June 2013 06:18 BST
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Alan Pardew is ready to tell his Newcastle paymasters and the club's new director of football, Joe Kinnear, that he remains in sole control of the first team.

Kinnear has claimed he will have authority over the style of play when he takes on the role he dramatically announced he was set for on Sunday afternoon. That, however, could now be a serious area of conflict with Pardew unwilling to allow his authority in first-team matters to be challenged.

Newcastle United had still not confirmed Kinnear's appointment last night, a further sign of their surprise that he went public on Sunday to announce his new position and then explain his role at St James' Park.

Pardew had been made aware of the impending appointment beforehand but has still to speak with the new director of football. That is one reason why there has been a delay in official confirmation of Kinnear's arrival. It had been planned for yesterday afternoon, 24 hours after Kinnear revealed the news himself. Pardew is willing to meet Kinnear to discuss his role and what impact it will have on the manager's own position, which has been cast into doubt as a result of the impending appointment.

Pardew did not have the final say over transfers before Kinnear was set to be introduced to a new role at the club. That was the responsibility of the chief scout, Graham Carr, although it was an area of frustration, with Pardew admitting at the end of the season that the club should have bought more players with Premier League experience.

The possibility, however, of an attempt to dictate the style of play, Pardew will not accept. He has contractual responsibility for the first team at Newcastle and it is an area he will not allow Kinnear to control. "In Alan's contract he is the manager of the Newcastle first team," said a source. "His responsibility is the first team."

Kinnear, who had a new office assigned to him at the club yesterday, has already admitted his wide range of responsibility will extend beyond playing a part in recruitment. Carr, despite being the first employee at the club to be rewarded with an eight-year deal by owner Mike Ashley, has not had the power to tell Pardew who to sell, something Kinnear said he will have.

"If I see players at the club right now and don't think they are good enough I intend to move them on," he said. "I know I've got more knowledge than anyone at Newcastle as a football manager."

Kinnear revealed yesterday in an interview with the Newcastle Evening Chronicle that he would now be the man at the club who reports directly to Ashley, who has owned United since buying them from Sir John Hall in 2007 for around £55m.

"I'm in a role where I'm the only one who is going to report to Mike Ashley," Kinnear said.

"Derek [Llambias, the managing director] is a businessman and he will deal with the finances. That is his expertise as he has run casinos. I will look at things from a football point of view.

"We will need to look at where we need to strengthen and look at players X, Y and Z to see who is the best option. I will have an office at the training ground and that is where I will be.

"To go from fifth to 16th is a drastic slide. I will be here to put my finger on the pulse and see where we are going wrong. If we see things that we believe are not Newcastle, and not good enough for Newcastle, then I will shift them. It is as simple as that."

Kinnear also claimed Llambias had already told him about Pardew's reaction to his appointment.

"Before I had a meeting with Mike, Derek said he's informed Alan, and Alan said, 'Great news, I'm delighted with that. At last I've got somebody who's a football guy.'

"Derek told me he's had a long talk with Alan, and explained that I'm coming in as director of football."

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