WBA training camp: Pardew robbed, atmosphere ‘rotten’

Matt Stead

West Brom’s mid-season warm-weather training camp in Spain has turned out to be something of a disaster.

Manager Alan Pardew has condemned the “unacceptable” behaviour of captain Jonny Evans and the three other senior players who embarrassed the club on a break in Barcelona.

Evans, Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill identified themselves as the quartet whose behaviour had led to their club promising disciplinary action.

Pardew said of the incident, which reportedly involved the quartet stealing a taxi from outside a McDonald’s at 5.30 in the morning: “They break a curfew, and that is unacceptable, and I feel a bit let down by that.”

He added: “We have 11 games left and we are in the last 16 of the FA Cup, and our fans will want to see us put in a performance (on Saturday).”

Asked if he was confident his position was safe, Pardew – appointed in November – said: “I think (with) all these situations, you can’t be certain of your job, you just have to try to do your job, and that is what I will do.”

It has now been revealed by John Percy of the Daily Telegraph that Pardew was robbed of his wallet and mobile phone two days prior to the incident. His decision to take the squad to Barcelona is ‘is now under closer scrutiny’ too.

Pardew felt that the break could ‘galvanise’ a squad that is bottom of the Premier League, seven points adrift of safety and with three league wins all season.

However, ‘many sources have claimed the players were reluctant to go in the first place,’ and ‘one source even described the atmosphere as “rotten”.’

Taxi for Pards, it seems.