Pardew heaps praise on Rodgers

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew believes Brendan Rodgers’ achievements with Swansea show that more home-grown managers deserve opportunities.

Pardew takes his side to south Wales on Friday with Rodgers having already secured Swansea’s English Premier League status for next season.

The duo worked together when both were at Reading and Pardew said he was delighted with the progress his former colleague had made.

“If you’ve got an accent then suddenly bring in a different system on the pitch, you’re applauded and given a top job in the Premier League, so it’s nice to see an Englishman get a shout for once,” Pardew said.

“Well, actually, he’s Irish, so I beg your pardon Brendan. He’s always had a very clear vision of how the game should be played and he’s stuck to his principles and I admire him very much for that.

“Brendan was my youth team coach at Reading and I know him very, very well. Young coaches should be promoted, but in this country it goes the other way.”

Pardew also praised Swansea’s possession-style football, which has seen Rodgers tipped to be named Premier League Manager of the Year.

“You have to say that Swansea have attacked the game and tried to play and been encouraged to play and taken chances when perhaps they shouldn’t take chances, and done it admirably,” he said.

“They’ve got themselves security I think for next year already so they can plan for next year and bring one or two players on top of the players they’ve got.

“Some of those players deserve a lot more praise than they’ve been getting – Leon Britton, Scott Sinclair, Ashley Williams, they’ve been absolutely outstanding.”

With Newcastle on a three-match winning run and Swansea having lost their last two, Pardew believes now may be the best time to face Rodgers’ team.

“You play teams in tides really. Sometimes the tide is in and sometimes the tide is out,” he said.

“Swansea have lost a couple and their tide is out a little bit and we’re very much in and that will even that fixture up as Swansea away is a very difficult game.”