Alan Pardew prepares for love-in at the Hawthorns when Crystal Palace visit West Bromwich Albion
Pardew is expecting a warm reception from both sets of fans when he takes charge of West Brom for the first time on Saturday against Crystal Palace, his former club
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Alan Pardew will be at the centre of a Hawthorns love-in when he launches his West Bromwich Albion reign against former club Crystal Palace.
Pardew has promised to wave to travelling Palace fans as well as Albion supporters when he takes charge of his new club for the first time on Saturday, and with the popular former West Brom manager Roy Hodgson also guaranteed a warm reception from both sets of supporters when he takes his Palace side to the West Midlands, the stadium looks set for a feast of mutual appreciation.
Pardew was sacked 11 months ago by Palace but insists he retains respect for the club's chairman Steve Parish and admiration for the players, most of whom he worked with during his tenure of almost two years, and the new Albion head coach insists he will bear no grudge with any Palace player who ruins his first game at the Baggies helm.
“I’m not going to go and cuddle them, no," Pardew said. "Will it be heartbreaking? No they are doing a job – they are paid professionals, so I understand that. I was very close to some of the players there. You can’t help but get close to them because they’ve achieved amazing things for you.
“I’ve had some nice messages this week from within that camp. You never lose those bonds. They are actually something that keeps you going when you are out of work as well. It’s nice to get a message from your former players so here will be smiles and handshakes and love-ins at the start – until the ball is kicked.
“Steve remains somebody that I respect. He’s somebody who is the chairman of a football club. He has a job to do and he made decisions that he felt were right for the club."
Hodgson led Albion to 11th and 10th-placed finishes in a season and a half at The Hawthorns and laid the foundations for the club’s best ever Premier League finishing position, eighth, the season after he left to take charge of England.
After Sam Allardyce succeeded Pardew at Palace and their experiment with Frank De Boer was terminated after just five games, Hodgson arrived with the same survival mission he took on at West Brom in 2011.
“He did a really superb job here,” said Pardew. “I have always admired him. He’s a coach who has a great knowledge of the game and is an educated man on and off the pitch so you can’t help but respect the guy.
“I look forward to seeing him. We’ve had a good relationship but I want to beat him that’s for sure.”
Hodgson is guaranteed a hero’s welcome by Albion fans but Pardew hopes his own reception from visiting supporters is warm despite his sacking last December. He guided Palace to their best ever Premier League finish of 10th in 2015 then took them to the FA Cup final in 2016, having represented the club in an earlier final during a four-year stint as a player.
“I always had a fantastic relationship with them,” he said. “Nine times out of 10 they’ve been great with their attitude on the road and the noise they make. They’re great fans and I will make a point of giving them a little wave.”
Pardew faces injury problems for his first game in charge with Kieran Gibbs (thigh) and Matt Phillips (hamstring) facing late fitness tests while Chris Brunt, Craig Dawson, James Morrison and Nacer Chadli are definitely out.
Sam Field, the 19-year-old Albion fan, was preferred in central midfield to Poland international Grzegorz Krychowiak for Gary Megson’s two games in caretaker charge and responded with a man-of-the match display in a first senior goal against Newcastle on Wednesday. However, Pardew has hinted the on-loan Krychowiak has a chance of being restored to the team.
He said: “They are very very different players, one has international and Champions League experience, one is a youth team player coming through the ranks and just scored his first goal for a football club. I will look at them with that in mind, as well as what they do on the training ground.
“You have to respect players who have achieved things and achieved certain standards, and give them a little bit more benefit of the doubt. Having said that I think they are two very different players and going forward I hope to get the best out of both of them.”
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