Alan Pardew admits 'silly things got said' in Martin O'Neill spat

The Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, left, gestures towards Sunderland's Martin O'Neill during the Tyne-Wear derby.

Martin O'Neill's first Tyne-Wear derby did not end with the traditional drink in Alan Pardew's office after the two managers became embroiled in some unseemly touchline exchanges.

"I think I shall go and climb on the bus," said O'Neill, after he was asked if he and Newcastle's manager were poised for a friendly chat. "I wanted to have a glass of wine with Martin but I'm told he's gone," said Pardew. "Silly things got said on the bench, it got out of hand and it was unsavoury but it happens.

"It's a passionate game but maybe I could have been a bit more grown-up about it. Maybe Sunderland's bench handled it better. If one or two of us stepped over the line I'll apologise for it."

Newcastle's manager evidently said something provocative to his Sunderland counterpart as he leapt towards O'Neill, celebrating wildly, after the home side won a second-half penalty missed by Demba Ba.

"I've never done that before," conceded Pardew whose goalkeeping coach, Andy Woodman, was sent to the stands by the referee at half-time. "It looks terrible but it was just sheer relief we'd got a penalty. Unless you're a manager or a player you don't understand the pressure of this game, a lot of emotion was involved. I was really frustrated."

Pardew, who claimed Lee Cattermole's idiotic lunge on Cheik Tioté after just 45 seconds had been "premeditated", rebutted O'Neill's suggestion that members of Newcastle's backroom staff had visited Mike Dean, the referee, at half-time. "I can tell you it's completely untrue," he said. "None of our staff are allowed in the ref's room. It's not right."

Cattermole, the Sunderland captain, was sent off for directing foul and abusive language at Dean after the final whistle. "Lee can't be doing that, he should leave it to me," said O'Neill. "But Lee's mitigating circumstance is that he felt too many decisions had gone Newcastle's way in the second half. They should count themselves lucky to have finished with 11 men. Cheik Tioté should have been sent off."

O'Neill said he had "no complaints" about Stéphane Sessègnon's red card for elbowing Tioté before enthusing about the occasion. "The derby was absolutely everything people have told me – the hostility, the fervour, everything. It's two points slipped through our fingers but, in a perverse way, I enjoyed it."

Pardew had high praise for Shola Ameobi, scorer of the equaliser, and Hatem Ben Arfa whose half-time introduction changed the game's complexion. "I love Shola to bits, the chance couldn't have fallen to a better person," he said. "He brings important qualities passed down from his parents to this club. Some of Hatem's play was breathtaking; it was his best 45 minutes for us. I have to find a way of getting him in my team."

No Chelsea manager will last under Roman Abramovich's risible ownership

Analysing Russian diplomacy, historians used to notice a tendency to act decisively – sometimes brutally – regardless of whether it was the right course. The purpose was to avoid doing nothing: to fight one’s way out of a corner.

Happier days: Andre Villas-Boas and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

Roman Abramovich displays this old historical tendency. He fears indecision, drift – so now he is searching for his eighth Chelsea manager in nine years.

He sets up a “project” for change, paying Porto £13.3million to release Andre Villas-Boas, then panics nine months later, dumping blame on the manager and ignoring the failings of directors, middle men, the recruitment department and, most of all, the players.

The headline on this piece should be “Roberto Di Matteo on the brink” because that is the perpetual state of all Chelsea coaches.

Then, when the permanent successor is appointed, he too should be described as a man “on the brink”, even as he is grinning for photographers in the stands of Stamford Bridge.

If Abramovich were serious about holding his workforce to account he would have looked to his inner circle, and those like Michael Emenalo, the so-called technical director, who are presumably also part of any problem.

He would have evolved beyond his reductionist view that any weakness at a football club is traceable to the poor tortured soul in the dugout.

We all know this is a risible way to run an organisation. It provides shelter for time-serving execs and creates a culture of accountability for some and exemptions from blame for others.

Who, for example, spent £50million on Fernando Torres? Not Villas-Boas. On whose watch was Chelsea's best signing of the last 12 months made (Juan Mata)? Answer — AVB’s.

Chelsea’s statement yesterday spoke of the need to “make a change”. This is a euphemism for permanent revolution.

The experiment with Villas-Boas, who was the same age as Frank Lampard when he was appointed, followed the disastrous decision to sack Carlo Ancelotti 12 months after his Premier League and FA Cup Double.

The excuse was that Abramovich wanted to move beyond the old bulldozer style in favour of audience-winning entertainment.

Nobody has explained, then or now, why Ancelotti, who is managerial nobility, was thought incapable of effecting that transformation.

After a lot of asking around, Abramovich blundered in the direction in the direction of Villas-Boas, paying £28 million to replace Ancelotti and his team.

That included pumping money into the transfer market for managers in the form of the compensation to Porto.

The studious, intense AVB arrived from Portugal certain he had a mandate to dismantle the old Chelsea functionalism and replace it with something more uplifting.

Maybe he did, but the brief expired when he struck a run of three wins in 12 league games and the old ghouls massed against him.

He was sycophantic in support of John Terry over the Anton Ferdinand alleged racism incident and seemed to want to take on Frank Lampard, identifying him as the biggest block to progress.

In other words he created enemies without crushing them: a serious error, as the more Machiavellian Jose Mourinho might have told him.

The sinister silence favoured by Abramovich himself lent itself to uncertainty, first, then instability when it became apparent that senior players were becoming disruptive and defiant.

There are plenty of ways to get rid of a manager beyond complaining to the owner, among them drawing at home with Birmingham City in the FA Cup and losing at West Bromwich Albion.

These are acts guaranteed to bring the whirr of chopper blades above Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

For Abramovich to think the manager is always the problem, he would have to think it normal that the left-back shoots the intern with an air rifle, the captain is charged with racially abusing Anton Ferdinand (an allegation John Terry denies) and a smoke grenade is thrown inside the training ground (as it was on Friday).

Watching Abramovich’s stewardship, you wonder how he made a cent in business. He seems intent on vandalising his own £700 million-plus investment while ignoring the real oversights.

It beggars belief, for instance, that they should have spent £90 million on Torres, David Luiz and Ramires while also missing the target with the likes of Romelu Lukaku.

Below a conventional corporate upper tier (Ron Gourlay, the chief executive, and Bruce Buck — the chairman) — Abramovich listens to overlapping circles of confidantes, few of whom are serving him well.

Some very capable people carry on with their jobs as best they can but there is always the sense that real power is an invisible force that is always ready to sweep the foundations away.

By any measure Abramovich is an autocrat in a world not built for the expression of extreme personal whims. A close ally of Vladimir Putin, he applies comparable impatience and intolerance to his sporting empire.

Those who can hide their mistakes and display unconditional obedience survive. The front-of-house stooge — the manager — picks up the tab whenever things go wrong.

The awkward squad in Chelsea’s dressing room will be feeling very smug. Another victim is chalked up.

But there is a deeper problem for them and their capricious owner. You look at this Chelsea side now and see a lack of players good enough to mount another title challenge.

With a 3-1 first-leg deficit against Napoli, Abramovich’s Champions League dream is receding.

In management circles, the deal has long been clear: take the Chelsea job, watch your back and wait for the dismissal cheque.

Why the North East derby is all that matters

It is parochial in its intensity, local in its focus and short-sighted in its importance, but it is the only game that matters in the North-East.

The Tyne-Wear derby has few rivals. Every club likes to think its derby is the special one; unique in its significance and who can argue against them.

Every derby is important, special and passionate for those whose bragging rights are at stake.

But for me – and I was not born, bred or raised in the North East – this is one of the best for the sheer “perched on the edge of the cliff” sensation that comes with the build-up.

Anyone who has sat in the middle of a Newcastle vs Sunderland game and felt the tension, sampled the hatred, tasted the sweetness of victory or swallowed the bitterness of defeat will know what I mean.

For the Newcastle and Sunderland fans reading this, there will be some who have already started to feel a little queasy, the pulse will start racing, your body temperature will rise. It’s alright, open a window, you can come back to this when you’ve calmed down!

Before the corresponding fixture last season I sat on a wall and gathered my thoughts – it had been a late finish the night before – and suddenly found myself in the middle of the tribal warfare.

I’ve covered countless North East derbies, but I’d normally been in the comfort of the press room discussing the drama before it unfolded on the pitch. That had its moments.

The local Tyneside and Wearside press packs have their divisions on this matter and there is little camaraderie, before or after kick-off.

The hacks from the Sunderland Echo glare, as the boys from the Newcastle Evening Chronicle circle . As for the Northern Echo and The Journal – my old paper – there are Sunderland and Newcastle fans sharing desks and offices.

Thankfully, it has never come to blows, although I’m told it has come close on occasions. Most of the national journalists were born in the North-East and have their loyalties accordingly.

This time I wanted more fresh air so I was outside when things began to crackle. It started with a few boos and jeers in the distance. A few inaudible chants. More and more black and white shirts began to surround me. The boos and jeers grew louder. I had no idea what was happening, but I should have guessed.

Sunderland is only 12 miles away from Newcastle and is linked by the same Metro system, as well as train network.

Several hundred Black Cats had used public transport to get to the game and, flanked either side by police in riot gear, they were being escorted from Newcastle Central Station up to St James’ Park.

The atmosphere was hostility and defiance brought to the boil. You could see both sets of fans wanted to get at each other – and so did the police who were impressively swift in snuffing out any hint they would.

The threat of violence was palpable. It always is. Tindersticks and matches spring to mind. We can only hope the police keep a lid on it again.

It was magnificent and abhorrent at the same time. For two days of the year on derby day, there is nothing more than hatred, yet it is not so long ago that fathers would take their sons to Newcastle one week and Sunderland the next.

As someone from outside the region, I know the people of Newcastle and Sunderland, Northumberland and Durham, share far more in spirit, outlook and humour than they would care to admit. The North-East can be seen as a whole. Not that I would dare say as much on Sunday of course.

Sat outside St James’ Park – yep used it again – last season it was defenders versus invaders, Roundheads vs Cavaliers, the Mods (Geordies) versus the Rockers (Mackems), regional jealousy and rivalry fused with historical grievances.

This is about more than just a game of football, yet the result is all that matters 90 minutes later. Just ask those Sunderland fans who endured last season’s 5-1 defeat on Tyneside.

Then there is the national picture. Newcastle and Sunderland are probably the two biggest under-achievers in English football and that has helped attach far more importance to the derby than other clubs who have bigger things to worry about and celebrate.

They should have won far more between them, yet Newcastle have not lifted a piece of major silverware since the Fairs Cup in 1969. As for their last domestic trophy, you have to go back to the FA Cup in 1955.

Sunderland lifted that prize in 1973, but an entire generation of supporters has had nothing to celebrate other than promotion back to the top tier of English football.

League titles belong in the distant past and so the battle for local supremacy is a trophy both clubs fight for each year.

For former Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, it was defeat to Newcastle at the Stadium of Light back in August that pushed him towards the exit door.

After last season 5-1 defeat on Tyneside and their failure to beat the enemy on their own territory, the defeat at the start of this season was too much to take. There was also the small issue of Bruce being a Geordie too.

However, if you ask most Newcastle players, that 1-0 win was the game that launched them on their way to a surprisingly successful campaign that will see them entertain their rivals this weekend sitting sixth in the table.

Newcastle are ten points better off than Sunderland in the league, but lose at St James’ Park – oops that’s a third time – on Sunday and they won’t feel like it. This weekend, nothing else matters.

Arsenal players considered soft-centred gave lion-hearted displays against Tottenham

Arsenal's sudden return to form in their 5-2 win over arch rivals Tottenham was exemplified in four key ways.

Sheer joy: Tomas Rosicky celebrates his goal 

Team spirit
The pre-match words of Emmanuel Petit summed up the general view on the strength of this Arsenal team’s backbone. “These players are fragile, they can sink. They are peacocks in the middle of the farm,” he said. Not on Sunday. From 2-0 down after 34 minutes – and with the whole of the Emirates ready to rise up in rebellion amid the fear of another rout — they were like lions. It was, by any standards, a truly extraordinary display of character.

Tactics
The teamsheet would have caused considerable alarm to Arsenal fans. No Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Gervinho, while in came Yossi Benayoun and Tomas Rosicky. The entire defence that succumbed against AC Milan was also again selected. It all left Arsenal looking soft-centred. Instead, though, they flooded the midfield and dominated the vast majority of the game. Arsène Wenger, the Arsenal manager, later said that Harry Redknapp was right to bring on Sandro and Rafael van der Vaart in an attempt to “thicken” the Tottenham Hotspur midfield, but Emmanuel Adebayor simply became isolated. “We were technically faster and superior to them,” said Wenger.

Finishing
Arsenal are used to losing matches even after enjoying the majority of possession. It all points to a general profligacy in front of goal that has been masked by the extraordinary goal-scoring form of Robin van Persie. On Sunday, though, was a moment when others in the squad were equally clinical. Theo Walcott converted his two chances superbly, Tomas Rosicky scored his first Premier League goal in two years while Bacary Sagna’s headed finish would have pleased an established centre-forward. Yossi Benayoun was also a constant threat.

Leadership
Whenever Wenger is questioned about the perceived absence of leaders in this Arsenal team, it has become almost a standard response to cite all the players who have captained their country. With Tottenham taking a 2-0 lead and Scott Parker initially dominant, it was the moment when Wenger needed his leaders. Robin van Persie immediately dragged Arsenal off the floor with several near-misses before his wonderful equaliser, while Rosicky produced his most influential performance in his six years at the club.

Jose Mourinho return is possible – but he has to say sorry to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich

There are 18 million reasons why it might be hard for Jose Mourinho to return to Chelsea this summer if – and it is still an if – Roman Abramovich decides he wants to part company with Andre Villas-Boas and go back for the self-styled “Special One”.

Building bridges: Jose Mourinho had some contact with Chelsea over the summer 

“It’s possible,” said one source, who knows about these kind of things, in a text message when contacted on Thursday which, in itself, is a significant shift of what was thought about Mourinho’s prospects not so long ago. Then it was believed hell would freeze over first.

There has undoubtedly been some rapprochement between club and former manager, starting last summer following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti, when Mourinho’s name was mentioned but they decided to go for Villas-Boas who, it was hoped, would be like his fellow Portuguese but without the abrasive edge.

Certainly relations are not as ice cold as they were when Mourinho challenged Abramovich to sack him in September 2007 — and the Russian billionaire did.

Mourinho has made no secret that he wants to return to the Premier League when he leaves Real Madrid, and that could well happen this summer, but as much as he might consider Tottenham Hotspur should Harry Redknapp go — had they a new stadium on stream, it would help — and as much as he still has a romantic notion about Liverpool and an interesting bond with Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, Chelseaare in his system.

And how it would appeal to Mourinho’s sense of mischief — and maybe revenge — to succeed Villas-Boas, his former protégé, the mini-Mourinho who had the temerity to ask for more responsibility then branched out to be a manager in his own right. The two no longer speak.

But then there are is the £18million in compensation that Mourinho wrung out of Abramovich, including £10million to exclude him from working in England for a period. That was to put off Spurs, and it worked, but it was a high price to pay for Abramovich, even if he has since wasted many more millions compensating managers he has sacked.

So here’s the rub. Maybe if there is a vacancy and Mourinho does want to return he might have to do something that he would find difficult: apologise to Abramovich for leaving five years ago with that lorry-load of cash. The owner indulges in generous payouts. But he does not readily forgive. Could Jose say sorry?

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe says Sunday's north London derby is more important for Arsenal

Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe believes Sunday's north London derby is now a bigger game for Arsenal than for Harry Redknapp's side.

Praying hands: Jermain Defoe will be hoping to play a part on Sunday, when Spurs can complete a north London derby double against Arsenal

Arsenal have experienced arguably their worst season under Arsène Wenger's stewardship, are vying with Chelsea for fourth place and are almost certainly out of the Champions League following their humiliating 4-0 defeat in the first leg of their last-16 tie at AC Milan last week.

Meanwile Tottenham's attacking play, and the excellent form of Scott Parker, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric have made them one of the best teams to watch in the top flight.

For that reason, Defoe thinks three points will matter more to Arsenal than Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

"It means more to Arsenal than us obviously because of the way things have gone for them this season," he said in an interview with radio station LBC.

"I think it's been a lot of ups and downs, where at the beginning they didn't start too well, then they picked it up and then they've had a little blip again."

Arsenal have been seen as the strongest team in north London for the best part of the last two decades but this year has seen the balance of power tip to White Hart Lane and Defoe is confident his team can complete their first north London derby double in almost 20 years .

"It's going to be a difficult game but I'm confident, obviously, with the way we're playing," Defoe said..

A win for Spurs would stretch their lead over fourth-placed Arsenal to 13 points with 12 matches of the season left.

Harry Redknapp's side overcame their bitter rivals 2-1 at White Hart Lane in October, but they have not done the double over the Gunners in the league since the 1992-93 campaign.

Having lost just once in their last 15 games, the Tottenham squad are upbeat about their chances of claiming a telling victory, according to Defoe.

"We've got a really strong squad now and everyone's playing well," he said.

"Everyone's firing and team spirit is fantastic which I think is always important if you want to try to achieve something.

"We've got a great chance to go there and get three points."

Arsenal controlled large parts of the reverse fixture at the start of the season and would have come away with a point had it not been for Kyle Walker's wonder strike 17 minutes from time.

Defoe is wary about taking Sunday's opponents lightly despite their recent poor form.

"I've always said they're a good team," he said.

"You can't write Arsenal off. In football it's always the next game, you can change it in the next one.

"And I think, playing against us, it'll be a different Arsenal from what people have seen over the last few weeks."

Defoe has scored just once in 14 north London derby appearances and is likely to be on the bench for Sunday's game.

Emmanuel Adebayor missed last weekend's FA Cup fifth-round draw at Stevenage after twisting his knee in training but is expected to be fit for what promises to be a hostile return to his old club.

He is likely to be partnered up front by Rafael van der Vaart, who is in full training after recovering from a calf injury that has kept him out of the last three games.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and his players called to summit with owner Roman Abramovich

Roman Abramovich held a crisis meeting with Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas and the first-team squad at the club’s Cobham training ground in Surrey on Sunday with fears growing that the season is unravelling.

Honest Andre: Villas-Boas has admitted his team was left wanting at Everton

The players were hauled in after they were told their scheduled day off had been cancelled immediately after the 2-0 away defeat to Everton which saw Chelsea slip to fifth in the Premier League table.

Abramovich ordered a series of meetings to attempt to clear the air as the Russian billionaire becomes increasingly concerned as to whether Chelsea will finish in the top four this season and, therefore, fail to qualify for the Champions League for the first time since he took ownership of the club in 2003.

The pressure has risen dramatically on Villas-Boas whose own position would now appear under threat for the first time since he was appointed following a run of just two victories in their last 10 league matches and with the vital Champions League tie against Napoli looming, after this weekend’s FA Cup Fifth Round fixture against Birmingham.

Abramovich has been conspicuous by his presence at Chelsea’s training ground over the last days, observing training sessions and closely monitoring Villas-Boas’ methods and how the players react to him.

The manager has brushed aside any concerns over Abramovich’s increased presence – it is partly to do with the ending of his High Court case with Boris Berezovsky – and insisted he retains the full support of the owner.

He did, however acknowledge after the defeat at Everton that finishing in the top four is a prerequisite.

“Of course. Of course. Of course,” he said. “We need Champions League qualification and that’s what we expect. The objective is first place but first place is not a real objective any more — and neither is second.

"So Champions League qualification is the least you can ask for.”

It was solely Abramovich’s decision to appoint Villas-Boas and the cost of releasing him from his contract at Porto and sacking his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti last May has been put at £28 million in the club’s recently released accounts.

Abramovich has been fully supportive of Villas-Boas in the realisation that changes need to be made at Chelsea and that the club is in a year of transition. If a change is made it will be made reluctantly and only after every avenue is pursued to try and support Villas-Boas.

Abramovich would countenance 'only’ a top four finish this year as long as Chelsea show signs of progressing under Villas-Boas – and an attacking, exciting style of play is important – and do well in the two cup competitions they remain in.

However if it is decided that the 34-year-old Portuguese is struggling then Abramovich has a history of showing that he will not hesitate to sack a manager, despite the cost.

With that in mind, and judging by precedent, the FA Cup tie and, more importantly, the Champions League tie could be key to determining Villas-Boas’s future.

The two-legged tie bookends three league matches against sides in the bottom half of the table – Bolton, West Brom and Stoke – and Abramovich will expect Chelsea to win all three as well as progress in the FA Cup and Champions League.

It is understood that some Chelsea players, who have witnessed Abramovich’s presence at the club before in such scenarios, believe the manager is now vulnerable.

Villas-Boas loves talking strategy, but there were not too many tactical options left as he sought a response to the fans’ anger after this latest defeat.

“Fans have the right to demand from a manager and from the players,” he added.

“If there are persons who are always right, it is the fans.

"They have the right to demand. So maybe they were expecting a different kind of approach to the game.

"When we went 2-0 down the only way we felt we could continue to create problems was to try and bring more striking strength up front and that’s why we went for three up front.

The visiting fans let rip twice. Firstly, with dubious justification when Michael Essien was replaced by Florent Malouda in the 70th minute.

Their discontent was more audible and valid when Juan Mata, the only decent Chelsea player on an abysmal afternoon, was replaced 12 minutes from time.

The gulf between the owners’s vision of a less methodical Chelsea and the reality of passionless players, some of whom do not appear to have the legs or desire to change, is what is undermining Villas-Boas’ aspirations.

It is a bit like ordering him to restyle the house without stripping it of the tired old furniture and wallpaper.

Everton, inspired by Steven Pienaar and Landon Donovan, expertly exposed the familiar flaws of an unprotected and careless defence.

Pienaar, thriving on his return to Goodison Park, struck after five minutes. Denis Stracqualursi, another loanee who may convince Moyes to make the arrangement permanent, secured victory in the second half.

Donovan, the game’s other outstanding contributor, returns to LA Galaxy after next week’s FA Cup tie against Blackpool, ensuring a level of frustration to balance the euphoria.

It was a shame for Moyes that Chelsea’s ineptitude overshadowed the annual Goodison New Year revival, which suddenly makes European qualification seem possible.

Minutes after the final whistle, Villas-Boas was standing at the top of the exhausting, long staircase which leads to the Everton press room as he fended off the inevitable questions about his future.

It was in precisely the same position eight months earlier that Carlo Ancelotti’s responses to defeat were cut short by a statement confirming his sacking.

Yet, it is not the ghost of Ancelotti that haunts Villas-Boas, or those of his predecessors.

It is that of Jose Mourinho, and his extraordinary legacy, which has given none of his successors enough time to prosper.