Source: Northern_Echo
‘Global reputation enough to attract big names to United’
ALAN PARDEW thinks the trauma of relegation from the Premier League and the promotion charge which followed was exactly what was needed to help turn Newcastle United in to a force again.[LNB] And, ahead of a match at Blackpool today which could go a long way to guaranteeing top-flight status, the Magpies boss believes their one season in the Championship has not dented their global reputation.[LNB] Pardew feels Newcastle are "effectively" safe after Tuesday's draw with Manchester United left them seven points above the relegation zone and he is confident the profile of the club is still such that they can attract top players.[LNB] Newcastle may no longer have the lure of European or Champions League football as bargaining tools, but Pardew is convinced there is plenty of other things to persuade his targets to head for Tyneside.[LNB] "Because of the facilities we have, which are top drawer, and they're improving, this club is still a pull," said Pardew. "The owner, Mike Ashley, has made a commitment to stay, so there's some stability, the length of my contract and the fact, more importantly, of 50,000 coming through the doors each week to support you are all in our favour.[LNB] "If you're a player with anything about you . . . you can play for a top club in France and get 18,000 watching you or a top club in Holland and you might get 8,000.[LNB] "You have 50,000 here and every away game sold out for us. That's a fantastic pull for any club and the history that goes with this club as well. The most important thing is that we build on this year and start challenging for trophies as soon as we can."[LNB] It is the European market which Pardew is looking to tap in to more, having seen how successfully Cheik Tiote has adapted to life in the Premier League following his switch from FC Twente for just £3.5m last summer.[LNB] Newcastle have regularly had representatives in France and Holland in recent months to run the rule over a series of potential summer buys, with the prospect of spending the £35m raised by the sale of Andy Carroll on the horizon.[LNB] Having only returned to the top-flight this season, it would be easy to think Newcastle could still be feeling the cost of their relegation year. However, Pardew thinks differently.[LNB] "Sometimes the readjustment of relegation isn't always a bad thing," he said. "You can put things in line financially sometimes and also the mentality of the club can change slightly and that correction isn't a bad thing.[LNB] "Over the years we've seen it with Man Utd getting relegated and Man City. Suddenly you can become stronger for it and hopefully that's what happens here.[LNB] "Everything gets realigned with relegation and maybe for Mike Ashley, Derek Llambias and the players that were here before, it was a good thing. For Jose Enrique and Fabricio Coloccini it didn't do them any harm to go into the Championship and learn what English football is all about.[LNB] "It's never a bad trait in your life to be humbled, it brings you into line. If the club had stayed up that year would we be stronger now If you look a the financial results we published, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing.[LNB] "It's easier to say that after you're back in the Premier League of course. It's only two weeks ago we were playing Wolves and we were still very vulnerable and we still are to a degree because we haven't got great strength in depth."[LNB] While trying to attract new signings to St James' Park will soon become the primary objective, there is also a need to sort out the futures of existing players.[LNB] And ensuring Joey Barton commits to a new deal remains crucial to Pardew's long term plan, knowing he could be forced to sell in the summer if a player with 14 months left on his existing terms refuses to sign.[LNB] "We haven't restarted the contract talks so how can they have broken down," said Pardew, after speculation last weekend that new discussions had not found a breakthrough.[LNB] "Let's look at it at the end of the season is the view. We've still got an important phase of the season to play and momentum is important. We want to take that into next year. I don't want to get into a situation where we're talking about contracts.[LNB] "Let's win every game between now and the end of the season and then we'll be in a great position to talk about contracts."[LNB]
