Alan Pardew exclusive: Joe Kinnear does not interfere. There is no crossover

From this vantage point, Pardew assesses how the managerial changes at last season’s top three clubs will pan out, predicting that Jose Mourinho will have it easier than his counterparts in Manchester.

“The Manchester City and Manchester United managers [Manuel Pellegrini and David Moyes] will have a season where they will come under pressure. In his first year, David Moyes is going to find it difficult because it’s such a big jump from Everton.

“Mourinho is going back to what I consider his home and he will lift Chelsea, no doubt about that. He will certainly lift the crowd. I wouldn’t want to be the opposition in that first game [against promoted Hull] because it’s going to be a Mourinho love-in.

“I am a great admirer [of his]. I’m really pleased he is back. He’s amusing, a very multi-sided character, a great fellow and a great competitor.”

Last season, the battle for fourth went down to the final day with Arsenal edging out Tottenham after a nervy 1-0 victory at Newcastle.

Pardew believes both of the north London rivals will profit from the upheaval at the top three.

“Arsene Wenger possibly is in a position to close the gap this year,” he says. “I expect the changes to draw all of them [last season’s top five] closer.”

He makes this prediction despite the uncertainty surrounding Gareth Bale, with Real Madrid trying to prise the Welsh winger from Tottenham.

“I think, within 12 months, Bale will be gone,” says Pardew. “At times something comes your way and you think it’s right . . . Wayne Rooney is in a similar position. It looks like he [Bale] wants to move. At the end of the day, the player’s mind is usually the deciding factor.

“I think of Luka Modric. He was the only one who stayed when all the signals were that he was going. Then he went a year later.

“A player’s mentality is very important. The five or 10 per cent where they’re not focused because of wanting to go somewhere is enough for them to haul off their quality. It impacts on everything. So, as a board and manager, you have to make a decision.”

Even if Bale is sold — Spurs will only do business if the deal tops £100million but want, in any case, to keep him — Pardew is convinced they would not fall away.

“They’re still going to be armed with the finance to make sure their team are definitely a Champions League competitor. There’s no doubt in my mind about that. As it is, they carry some fantastic footballers.”

That now includes Spanish striker Roberto Soldado, a £26m signing from Valencia.

“He’s a finisher, a real technical player so he will fit in nicely at Spurs and possibly fill the missing link of last year,” says Pardew. “They will be ­looking for big things from him. Those five clubs really and truly are a little distance away. They are a big step up for the rest of us.”

As for his own team, Pardew is aiming for a top-half finish and expects one of his former clubs to be in that group too.

“West Ham have an experienced manager in Sam [Allardyce], a very experienced captain in Kevin Nolan and, with the signing of Andy Carroll, they will be a top-10 team.”

However, it is the return to the Premier League of one of his former clubs that really thrills him.

“Crystal Palace were my first club and one I hold dear to my heart. So I was jumping around the room when they made it. I can’t wait to go back to Selhurst Park. The Premier League’s a significant jump for Crystal Palace.

“When they were in the Premier League, they got themselves into difficult financial positions twice. They will be very conscious that doesn’t happen again. With Ian Holloway as manager, they’ll always be competitive. He’s that type of manager. So fingers crossed they have a fantastic season.”

Pardew will be keeping his own fingers crossed when Newcastle play in the cups, particularly the FA Cup. You would have to be a Toon fan well into your sixties to remember Newcastle’s great Cup days — they last won the trophy in 1955. Pardew has more recent memories.

“The FA Cup has been a massive part of my career. I’ve been very close to winning it. I was seven minutes away, maybe 10, [as a player with Palace in 1990]; then as West Ham manager with the last kick of the game against Liverpool [in 2006]. So I’m desperate to win it and, hopefully, this year will bring some luck.”

Pardew is also hoping to learn from last season’s struggles when Newcastle were 16th a year after qualifying for the Europa League with a fifth-place finish.

“It’s very difficult for Premier League teams to do the Thursday/Sunday turnaround given the intensity we play at,” he says. “We possibly made a mistake with the squad not being big enough and took injuries. We addressed that in January, only to suffer even more injuries, which took away the impact of that particular transfer window. We think we will get a big benefit of that window now and Loic Remy has come from Queens Park Rangers.”

Remy’s arrival on a season’s loan means there are almost a dozen Frenchmen in the first-team squad but Pardew dismisses the idea that there is a language problem between them and the rest of the group.

He says: “I won’t even say anything in French, not even ‘oui’. My job is to integrate them and the way I do that is make them speak English as quickly as possible. It is very important they embrace the English culture and grasp the demands of the Premier League. One or two struggle but obviously having more French players here it is easier for them to adapt.”