A Room with an Alan

It could have been Alan Partridge walking into that press conference and no one would have been that surprised. Once the chaos button is pressed at St James Park, anything can happen. But it wasn’t Alan Partridge, it was Alan Pardew, sitting by himself and taking responsibility for a mess that he hadn’t created. He wasn’t like Partridge at all. One week, one win and two press conferences later, it’s time to give credit where credit’s due. Alan Pardew has managed to create a good first impression out of what appeared to be a no-win situation. He handled his first press conference with as much dignity and honesty as was possible given that he was wearing dead man’s shoes. He didn’t dodge the Chris Hughton issue and he gave everyone an interview during an exhaustive media schedule. And here’s something you probably didn’t know. He CHOSE to sit by himself at the top table. He wanted to take the questions because he wanted it to be HIS press conference, not a chance for the media to throw stones at the Newcastle United hierachy. Brave, if nothing else. Throughout it all he never came across as arrogant or self-possessed and he was unswervingly polite. If there was a message he was trying to get across it was simply that this was not his fault. He didn’t sack Chris Hughton and he didn’t force anyone to give him the job. As an out of work football manager, what was he supposed to do when offered a premier league gig ? All Alan Pardew did last week was convince Mike Ashley to give him a five and a year contract and then win his first match in charge. As for the vague smell of “Cockney Croneyism” wafting in the background, well I don’t really buy that. Whatever else Ashley is, he’s definitely a shrewd businessman and the idea that he’d give the job to someone just because he was Derek Llambias drinking buddy just seems beyond ridiculous. So it’s time to move forward and what we're left with is a new manager who’s launched a successful charm offensive during his first seven days. But this is all about the charm so far and not about the offensive. Alan Pardew’s been nice. He’s shaken everyone’s hand and, it’s worth repeating, he’s won his first match in charge. Of course just because he comes across as a decent bloke doesn’t mean he’s going to be a great manager of Newcastle United. But the point is that there’s no reason to assume he’s going to fail either. He may not be who you wanted, but he’s here now, you’re all stuck with each other and you might as well make the best of it. Alan Pardew walked into that room last week, not Alan Partridge, and seven days on it’s going fine. Lots of football managers are like Partridge actually. Pompous gasbags who are blissfully unaware of their own problems. But this one isn't. He’ll never be Alan Shearer, but he’s no Alan Partridge either.