What are your initial thoughts on Alan Pardew?

It's been six weeks or so since Alan Pardew was appointed as Newcastle manager. He has had seven games so far, and whilst it isn't an awful lot, I'm just wondering what people are making of his start to life as manager of Newcastle United?

I'm not writing this to judge him or cast aspersions on him, in fact I am in the 'give the bloke a chance' camp when all is said and done. I wasn't very chuffed (understatment) when Chris Hughton got the sack, and I was underhwhelmed when Alan Pardew was appointed as his succesor. I have to say though, Pardew has impressed me so far.

Pardew was very fortunate to have been able to build on all of the fantastic work that Chris Hughton did at St James' Park. The bloke will, and should always, have a place in Tyneside folklore for battling the odds and turning the club from a shambles into a reasonably well respected outfit.

One of the key things that Alan Pardew had to do when arrived was to not rock the boat. The majority of players and fans were very close to Hughton after he earned their trust and respect, so the potential for upset and unrest was very real.

Fortunately that seems to have been avoided, and Pardew has survived the initial backlash with the players still onside. The fans however, are still to be won around.

As I said earlier, it's seven games for Alan Pardew, six of them have been in the league. Of those six league games, Newcastle have won three and drawn one accumulating 10 points from a possible 18. When you consider that some of those fixtures have been against the likes of Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester City aswell as a trip to the filth down the road, you would have to admit that this probably wasn't the easiest run of games for Pardew to begin his Newcastle United managerial career with.

The results, Stevenage aside, have been fairly impressive so far, but what about the other aspects of management? How have they been?

Well in my view they are pretty good. The decision to publicly criticise Nile Ranger for his failings was a little bit ropey, as is any dirty laundry that is aired in public, but then surely there comes a point where the softly-softly appraoch has to end? If a player isn't listening, then surely it's right to change tactic? This is what Pardew did, and hopefully it will work out in the long run.

Pardew is known to have a problem with words, which has lead to problems between him and the media before. There have been no signs of that thus far at Newcastle and he has dealt with the press pretty well to date. Some have said that he talks too much to the press, but it if you look at it he hasn't really revealed any hidden gossip or revealed any transfer targets has he? All he has said has been generaic stuff, like the talk of the transfer window and the role agents play. It's stuff we all know, yet Pardew attracts criticism for it.

Overall I've been pretty impressed so far. The results have been decent, the players seem to have taken to him, or at least be willing to work with him, and he has dealt with the press fairly well. He has coaxed the money from the board to sign Hatem Ben Arfa prematurely, and has also secured the likes of Steven Taylor on a new contract, with talk of new conracts for Jose Enrique and Joey Barton on the horizon. We also have a new assistant in that shape of John Carver, who is a popular choice with many, on our boks after going nearly four months without one.

I'm not judging him already, and I'm not saying that Pardew is going to be the best thing since sliced bread, but I am encouraged by the start he has made.

What is your opinion?