Having insisted last week that Newcastle were keen to sign a replacement for Cabaye following his £19 million move to Paris Saint Germain, Pardew, not for the first time, was left to offer excuses for the club’s failure to do so.
Here is a full transcript of the tense exchanges between an embattled manager and the newspaper reporters determined not to let him, or the club, off the hook.
Always 'guided' by Mike Ashley's press officer, Pardew knows the eyes of the owner are always on him.
Q: It’s a tough question to ask you but is the club, as it stands, capable of making permanent signings?
Pardew: Well …
Press officer: I think that’s an unfair one to ask the manager.
Q: But it’s two transfer windows without one now and Alan said …
Pardew: I’ve got no comment to make on that one.
Q: You said at the start of last week that the club can’t not replace Yohan, but that’s exactly what happened.
Pardew: I didn’t particularly say in this window though. I said, you know, we’ve got to get players of that class, there’s no doubt about that. So don’t try and angle that for this window because I think that’s unfair on me.
Q: You said ‘we need to bring someone in, for sure. We can’t lose someone of his quality and not replace him. That would leave us vulnerable’. Do you stand by that?
Pardew: Well, I’ve said it, ain’t I? But I’m meaning in the long-term as well as the short-term, that it’s the quality we need. And, you know, today has been a tough day for us and I don’t really want to add any more to it, to be honest.
Q: Part of the problem you’ve got is that if you don’t speak out against not getting a replacement it makes it look as though you’re going along with the decisions the board is making and therefore you get criticism heaped on your shoulders and take the blame for that.
Pardew: Yeah, I’m a professional manager. You know, if I was in charge, solely, of transfers, the answer might be different, but I’m not.
Q: It does feel sometimes that you’re being asked to manage with your hands tied behind your back.
Press officer: These are all quite unfair questions.
Q: Unfortunately the manager is the only person who will speak for the club.
Silence.
Q: Alan, is there a collective blame for today, from the top of the club, right down to on the pitch.
Pardew: The only way I can answer what has happened today is that it’s a disappointing day for the club.
Q: What do you say to Mike Ashley and Joe Kinnear when you’re having those discussions on Friday and it’s clear you’re not going to get a replacement (for Cabaye)? Do you make your opinions clear on that?
Pardew: I think I’ve made my opinion very clear this week and all the rest of it is confidentiality.
Q: How do you lift yourself?
Pardew: I’ll be alright.
Walks off.