LONDON: Alan Pardew has admitted he is lucky not to have been sacked by Newcastle owner Mike Ashley — but will continue to fight for his future by axing senior players at Swansea.
The under-fire boss has conceded that he is fortunate to still be in charge of the Magpies, who are joint bottom of the Premier League after six games.
It is understood Pardew will gamble on his position by making changes for Saturday’s trip to the Liberty Stadium – including dropping Yoan Gouffran and handing forgotten man Gabriel Obertan his first Premier League start in 18 months.
Newcastle spent £30 million (RM165 million) on their first-team squad during the summer but Pardew is prepared to rip up the tactics employed during the early part of the season in a bid to bring about an improvement.
Emmanuel Riviere — the £6 million striker who was booked at half-time during Monday’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke — is set to be replaced by Papiss Cisse, while £12 million Remy Cabella is running out of chances to return on his sizeable investment.
But it is the recall for Obertan — who featured just three times in the league last season — which demonstrates how frustrated Pardew has become with some players. The 25-year-old was signed on Pardew’s recommendation in 2011 but has struggled for form and fitness and has made just 22 top-flight starts in three years.
Pardew, meanwhile, will talk with Ashley this week, although his employment remains safe in the short term.
Sources close to the billionaire insist that even defeat at Swansea would not trigger a change of manager, with Pardew set for a £5 million payout should he be sacked.
Ashley does not want to go through the financial trauma of changing bosses and remains in support of the 53-year-old, despite unrest among supporters who fear a repeat of the 2009 relegation. Daily Mail