Alan Pardew has spoken of his intention to consult a management counsellor to prevent a repetition of the David Meyler headbutt incident which has earned the Newcastle boss a record seven-match ban.
Pardew's suspension is split between three games with a total stadium ban, then the next four will have a touchline and dressing-room ban, though he will be permitted to watch the game from the stands. It will start with the Magpies' clash with Fulham at Craven Cottage tomorrow evening.
Speaking of the 'headbutt' incident, he said: "I was disappointed in myself. I'm an experienced manager and I shouldn't have got into that situation. It's something that can't happen again."
"I've spoken to a few company CEOs who have management counselling and I think it's an avenue that might work for me.
"Richard Bevan [the chief executive of the League Managers Association] has been a great help in terms of finding someone to work for me and I can just bounce ideas off. Not necessarily just about the touchline and the pressures I'm under, just normal managerial decisions.
"The big question for me when this incident happened was 'how am I going to be a better manager out of it?' I don't want to be a worse manager, I don't want to lose my drive and passion but I'm going to channel it a little bit better.
"I think the consultant will be someone from outside the game with a different perspective, someone with a business background. If you were a top CEO in the city you'd have one, the company would make sure you did. Given the position I'm in, I'm probably as important as them."
Professional management advice may not be the worst idea for the 52-year-old, especially considering the fact he has given some thought to travelling on the team bus to Fulham. Speaking yesterday he said "I did think about going on the bus and having a hot dog outside Craven Cottage but I don't think that's going to go down too well so I'll say goodbye at the hotel."
Pardew will deliver his team talk before his players leave the team hotel. He is not explicitly prohibited from using a mobile phone to communicate with his assistant John Carver, but seems unlikely to do so. "I'm going to think about it," he said, "But interfering from the outside, I'm not sure that's the right thing to do. I'll watch the game with a video analyst and give the team my reflections on Tuesday. Maybe this will be a period of redemption for me."
He also spoke of his relief at not being sacked - he instead was fined £100,000 by the club, before the FA hit him with a £60,000 pentaly of their own. "You have to pay a price and there was a hefty price for me but the backing I've had from Mike and the club has been a really big help."
The good humour and support of his players came in for praise, too: "They were funny about it, there was a bit of gallows humour. I had a pair of boxing gloves put in my changing room. That's how players cope with these things, we'd all go mad otherwise – but I know it's not a laughing matter."
H/T: Guardian
