Pardew: AVB deserves apology from senior stars

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew believes sacked Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas deserves an apology from some of his senior players.

The Portuguese lost his job this afternoon in the wake of yesterday’s 1-0 Barclays Premier League defeat at West Brom, which followed weeks of speculation over his future.

Pardew had a great deal of sympathy for Villas-Boas, who was criticised for dropping experienced players such as Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, after experiencing a similar situation during his spell at West Ham.

Speaking after the Magpies’ eventful 1-1 derby draw with Sunderland, he said: “I have a lot of sympathy for him because that is a really, really talented coach we have lost in this country.

“I know he is from Portugal, but he has had to take on a club there with a lot of senior pros and in the background, probably had a very, very difficult job.

“When you are in a transition year like that – and I have been in it because I was at West Ham when I inherited a lot of senior pros who had just been relegated, and it was very, very difficult.

“They made it difficult for me, and one or two of them have apologised since, and so they should.

“I hope one day that happens to that manager because I think he deserves a better turn than he has had.”

Black Cats counterpart Martin O’Neill too was also sorry to see Villas-Boas go.

He said: “I am really disappointed for the lad, really disappointed. You don’t get very much time these days and I genuinely couldn’t be more disappointed. I feel for him.”