ALAN PARDEW IS concerned at the release clause that could see Demba Ba leave Newcastle United in January.
The Senegal international scored twice last night as the Magpies comfortably beat Wigan 3-0, but the former West Ham boss was frustrated at a trend for sensitive information to be released from the club.
“I think this city is a city where information seems to get out,” Pardew told reporters.
“For example, we’ve had to board our training ground off, because our team’s been leaked to the press and also leaked to the opposition. Information about Demba’s contract has leaked out and these are things that I don’t think are acceptable.
“The truth of it is that Demba has got a clause and it’s still hanging over us. We have tried to negotiate it away but we’ve not managed to do that as yet.
“The one thing I will say on a positive note is that he’s never looked me in the eye and looked like he wanted to do anything else but stay here and I hope he does.”
Ba scored from the penalty spot after Maynor Figueroa was sent off for tangling with Papiss Cisse, before pouncing on Ali Al-Habsi’s parry to double his tally for the night, and Pardew was delighted to get back to winning ways after four consecutive defeats in the league.
“He’s an outstanding player for us,” the 51-year-old said.
“He’s been that since he’s been here. I didn’t think he was the best player on the pitch but he was influential for sure.
“I think at times he’s important in the dressing room and everything he brings to the club and I’ve encouraged him to be more vocal in the dressing room because he’s a leader, but the 10 goals is a nice target for him.
“It was a massive victory for us and I’m very proud of my staff and my players because we had to stand tall. Four defeats in this city isn’t easy for any team, it’s a lot of pressure on us. We were positive, we wouldn’t let Wigan play, we wouldn’t let them settle and we got our reward for that.”
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez bemoaned the decision to send off Figueroa, insisting that the penalty was a just punishment for the Honduran.
“I thought it was very harsh, I’m looking at it from my player’s view,” he said.
“He’s allowed to challenge for the ball. It wasn’t a clear pass that goes into the striker’s feet and we understand then if as a defender you try to barge into the striker then it’s a completely different situation.
“This occasion the ball is three yards in front of both players and they are allowed to challenge, they need to win the position, I think it’s very harsh to get the red card on top of that, we were very unfortunate with that decision.
“Maynor is as honest as you’re going to get, he’s one of the most honest footballers I’ve ever worked with, if he makes a rash challenge or makes a challenge that he feels that is clearly breaking the law, he will accept responsibility.
“He was destroyed, he felt very upset at half-time because all he’s saying is I went shoulder to shoulder and the ball was there to be won and if you look at the replay that’s exactly what it was. I do feel for me player, he didn’t do much wrong.
“It was a decision that really changed the dynamics of the game, but then to concede from a penalty is clearly a double punishment and it wasn’t that much in that action to be so, so important in the course of the game.”
