I noticed that Alan Pardew was trending (in his own mind, when is he not), and my mind raced with all of the possibilities. Perhaps he’s on Strictly this year (I don’t watch Strictly), or eating grubs for ITV (I don’t watch I’m A Celeb…). Or maybe he’s been diagnosed with that pesky virus. In which case, I would wish him a swift recovery, of course. But no, Alan is actually back in the game! Someone has hired him for his football expertise!
Pardew is the new technical director of CSKA Sofia. My Bulgarian sources Twitter tells me he will replace Cristiano Giaretta, who took over as the sporting director at Watford in August. Incredible scenes. How did Alan manage to convince CSKA that he’s the right man for the job, when his CV says that he is pretty much the wrong man for any role in football. Nice work if you can get it.