Alan Pardew: "I've had a lot of texts from managers saying 'you must be mad going there'.
"But it's one of the top five clubs in England. It's a daunting prospect but something I couldn't turn down.
"The problem I'm going to have initially is the players.
"I need to get my message across quickly and with clarity so as not to get any resentment at a time when they are doing reasonably well.
"The battles I need to win are on the pitch. I understood what was going to happen if I took the job.
"I wanted to be tough on the length of contract and give myself as much stability at a club that hasn't had much stability with managers."