Source: Northern_Echo
Pardew promises that Carroll will not be sold
NEWCASTLE boss Alan Pardew has received firm assurances that star striker Andy Carroll will not be sold during the January transfer window.[LNB] Pardew was unveiled as Newcastle's new manager yesterday, having held late-night talks with chief executive Derek Llambias on Wednesday, and while the bulk of the discussion related to contractual issues, talk quickly turned to the status of Carroll.[LNB] The 21-year-old has been one of the stars of the season, but his nine Premier League goals have led to him being linked with a possible move to either Manchester United or Chelsea when the transfer window reopens at the start of next month.[LNB] Indeed, there has been speculation this week that Carroll's future was one of the main sources of tension between the Newcastle hierarchy and former boss Chris Hughton.[LNB] Pardew is aware of the delicacy of the situation, but having sought guarantees about Carroll's future before committing himself to St James' Park, the new Magpies boss is adamant he will not be losing his number nine.[LNB] I have had reassurances about that, said Pardew, who previously built his West Ham United side around Dean Ashton, a striker with similar physical attributes to Carroll. One hundred per cent, he is staying here.[LNB] Andy's future was one of the items at the top of my agenda. He needs to stay. He is the number nine of Newcastle and is someone the fans have bought in to. The number nine shirt is legendary here and he has shown he's big enough to wear it.[LNB] As long as I am here, I will be doing everything I can to make sure he stays. It would be a massive, massive blow if he left, but I am sure he will stay.[LNB] Having adopted a firm stance over Carroll, Pardew intends to be similarly forthright when he raises the issue of transfer funding in the future.[LNB] Hughton had previously described January signings as extremely unlikely, and while Pardew intends to make a close examination of the current squad before commenting on what he might or might not need, it is not envisaged that significant funds will be made available next month.[LNB] Mike Ashley appears determined to maintain his policy of shunning big-money deals in an attempt to balance the budget, but Pardew intends to do all he can to make his new employer soften his stance.[LNB] I will want to extract some money, he said. It is my intention to try and get the owner to loosen his pockets, although I will need to assess what I have first. When the time is right though, I'll be banging the door down to try to get what I want.[LNB] I'm employed by the employer, but I'm the one who'll be knocking on the door (asking for money). I did that at West Ham to get Dean Ashton, and I'll do the same again here to get the money to get the players to make this club great again.[LNB] The effectiveness of his pleading remains to be seen, with Ashley having spent just £3.5m last summer to sign five different players.[LNB] If Pardew is given money to spend, however, he insists he will have a major say in where it goes, despite the complex chain of command at St James' that has seen previous transfer deals become major bones of contention.[LNB] Kevin Keegan felt he was undermined by the dealings of those above him, while Hughton's role in the arrival of both Hatem Ben Arfa and Cheik Tiote was called into question this week.[LNB] Pardew accepts that in the modern football world, very few managers have a carte blanche over incomings and outgoings. But while Ashley and Llambias will continue to have an input into transfer deals, Pardew is adamant he will provide the guiding hand.[LNB] The situation is the same as at every club I have been at, he said. As a manager, you are in charge of ins and outs at the football club to a degree.[LNB] The chief scout will have an opinion and the board will have an opinion as well. It might be too much money, so at some stage, they might send me away and tell me to find someone else.[LNB] That's fine. But between those three or four key members of staff, including the managing director, we'll come to a decision. That is the process we have here.[LNB]
