Pardew: Aim must be for West Brom to win trophies

Daniel Storey

Alan Pardew says that he has to have the ambition to win trophies as West Brom manager.

Pardew was appointed on Wednesday as the permanent replacement for Tony Pulis, following Gary Megson’s caretaker spell.

Pardew has not been in management since being sacked by Crystal Palace after a wretched run of form that saw Palace win six league games in 2016.

He will be tasked with taking the Baggies away from relegation trouble, but also creating a team that plays in a different style to his predecessor.

“You miss the training ground. The smell. The noise. The passion. That is what I do best,” Pardew said.

“Experience is important. We have a history of delivering. I took Palace from the relegation zone to 10th. These things have to be taken into account.

“We are good enough to stay up but the clubs down there will do business. You can lose key players and you need to be on your guard.

“It is so difficult in the Premier League to have ambitions to win trophies.You must have those ambitions. I have come very close twice to winning the cup. That is the ambition I am talking about.

“I haven’t spoken to Tony Pulis but I know him well so I will. I didn’t see last night’s game  as we were finalising stuff. I felt uncomfortable watching the score coming through.”

Pardew has been subject to significant criticism during the final months of his reign at almost every one of his clubs, but he rejects the notion that it affects him:

“Criticism comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes also praise. It can get out of hand. It is about having a balance. Some managers get distracted.”