Newcastle boss frustrated at failing to snare Hornet
DISAPPOINTED ... Newcastle boss Alan Pardew.
ALAN Pardew has admitted to frustration at Newcastle United’s failed deadline-day move for Adrian Mariappa.
But Pardew believes that keeping his key men at St James’s Park will prove more significant to the club’s hopes of a top-six finish in the Premier League.
Newcastle yesterday made a take-it-or-leave-it offer for Mariappa.
But the Watford rejected United’s fourth and final bid for the defender, who played in the Championship side’s 2-0 win at Millwall last night.
And the transfer window closed at 11pm last night without Alan Pardew getting the defensive cover he had wanted.
However, Pardew – who said yesterday the club wouldn’t return for 25-year-old Mariappa in the summer if their bid failed – insists he was heartened by James Perch’s performance against Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend.
“I’d have liked to have had a defender, but Perch did well at Brighton, and when he’s come in he’s done OK,” Pardew told the Gazette.
“He’s boosted me a little bit on that front.
“Maybe we can hold fire now until the summer for the centre-half. We’d probably get a better deal.”
FC Twente’s Brazilian defender Douglas is a possible summer target for Pardew.
While there was frustration at a lack of an incoming defender, of more significance could be the lack of any outgoing deals, with Demba Ba, Cheik Tiote, Fabricio Coloccini and Tim Krul all still United players.
Speaking before the deadline passed, Pardew said: “On the back of (Papiss Demba) Cisse coming in, not to lose Cheik, Demba or Colo, or anybody else, means we’d have had the best window we could have had in my view.”
Celtic also failed in a late bid to sign striker Leon Best, while Birmingham City were unable to prise forward Peter Lovenkrands away on loan.
Meanwhile, James Tavernier has joined Newcastle team-mate Alan Smith on loan at MK Dons.
The 20-year-old will spend the rest of the season on loan at the League One club.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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