Pardew urges Sunderland to keep Moyes on

He may have failed to keep them up this season and got embroiled in a sexism scandal, but Alan Pardew has advised Sunderland to keep hold of manager David Moyes.

What had seemed certain for some time now was finally confirmed on Saturday as the Black Cats’ defeat to Bournemouth saw them condemned to life in English football’s second tier next season.

But despite the relegation, Pardew thinks it would be unwise for the Moyes to walk away, or for the Sunderland hierarchy to make a knee-jerk reaction and dismiss him before giving the Scot a chance in the Championship.

“I think he’s hurting now – big time – and I think it will be a good shout for Sunderland and all their fans to have him there next year, as he’ll be hungry to prove what a top manager he is,” said the former Newcastle United boss.

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“As we know, all the teams in the Championship are gunning to reach the goldmine which is the Premier League, so there are four or five big clubs all poised with good teams going into next season.

“David Moyes will have to sit down with the chairman [Ellis Short] and discuss what the budget is.

“Even though Sunderland will get the huge injection of parachute money, it doesn’t mean to say that they will do it the right way.

“Rafa Benitez has done things pretty much spot on at Newcastle – he took a big group of top Championship players, some of whom were there already, and his squad have seen him through.

“That would be a good route for David Moyes to go down, if he can convince the chairman that’s the right route.”