Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew watched another defeat on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images)

Teflon Alan Pardew smirked his way through another post-match interview after Newcastle United’s second 4-0 thrashing in a week, safe in the knowledge his position appears to get safer the more untenable it becomes.

If any other Premier League manager who brought so much embarrassment on themselves and the team, made so many own-goals when talking to the media, and masterminded a run of horrendous results, they would surely be jettisoned.

In the last week Pardew even admitted he’s struggling to motivate his players, facing a huge club like Manchester United and with the chance to do the double over them for first time since before the Second World War.



Arguably professional pride alone should be enough to motivate a group of elite players who were followed by thousands of fans the South Coast to witness a gutless 4-0 destruction against Southampton last week.


Following the Saints’ victory, Pardew claimed: ‘I’ve certainly made it very clear to the players that this is something which cannot happen.’

After another successive 4-0 defeat it is clear the Toon players chose to ignore him and give the impression they are planning their futures away from Tyneside.

Injuries have caused problems, on Saturday Pardew even resorted to picking Dan Gosling – whose contract is up in June and has previously been kept at arm’s length from the first team.

The way this season has ended is a huge disappointment, but no surprise, after a brilliant opening to the campaign when the club collected 33 points from their 18 games and made the Magpie’s best return since 2001-02 under the Sir Bobby Robson when we finished fourth.

I find it hard to believe the great Sir Bobby would have let things unravel so quickly or even consider a smile after such a run of games.

Even Manchester United can beat Newcastle at the moment (Picture: AP)

Things have never looked so disunited at St James’ Park.

The Toon players appear to be doing their utmost to oust the current incumbent Pardew, but like the increasing numbers of fans calling for his head, their cause will only end in failure.

Pardew even seems to have given up attempting to offer up excuses and make impassioned speeches promising improvements and has instead chosen to ignore the issue and offer no explanations.

This season Newcastle have been thrashed by Manchester City, Swansea, Sunderland, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Southampton and Manchester United and conceded more than three goals against opposition on 10 occasions.

That’s three more thrashings than last year’s horror show and with visits to Arsenal and Liverpool still to come.

On top of that only Norwich, Cardiff and Fulham have conceded more goals than the Magpies.

Sir Bobby put it best when he said: ‘What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

‘It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.’

And right now that’s what the Magpie’s risk losing the most.

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