Pardew’s punishment is a warning to bosses everywhere

Alan Pardew’s punishment ought to have been taken as a warning by managers across the country.

The eye-watering fine and record seven-game ban the Newcastle United boss was hit with for head-butting Hull City’s David Meyler is the severest EVER punishment handed down to a Premier League manager by the FA.

And it could have been worse.

Had Newcastle United failed to act swiftly to their manager’s moment of madness fining him £100,000 and handing him a formal warning the FA would have had scope to go further.

Had Hull City and Steve Bruce been more critical in the aftermath of the incident, the FA would have been under pressure to hit Pardew harder.

Had Meyler reacted to the head-butt by hitting the deck or involving the police, the Magpies boss would probably have been sacked.

And had Pardew failed to accept responsibility immediately, it would have had to be imposed.

When you consider that Pardew was only in control of one of those factors his own willingness to take responsibility it becomes clear how fortunate he was.

After his punishment was announced, the message to other managers should have been clear misbehave on the touchline and you’ll be hammered. But not a bit of it.

While our gaffers ought to have been taking stock of Pardew’s penance, they were at war!

Just 24 hours after it was announced, Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara and St Johnstone gaffer Tommy Wright were sent to the stands after confronting each other on the touchline.

Fast forward another day and the action shifted to White Hart Lane.

Spurs manager Tim Sherwood and Benfica boss Jorge Jesus were at loggerheads, with Sherwood accusing his opposite number of displaying a lack of class for celebrating in front of the Tottenham bench.

The authorities will undoubtedly get involved, and given the context Pardew’s case has afforded them, I won’t be surprised if they come down hard.

In fact, if cases keep racking up, I can see ruling bodies changing the way they deal with managerial misdemeanours.

Judging them on their own merits is clearly not acting as a deterrent.

So the next step is to draw up a set of rules with clear and severe punishments for bosses who break them.

I hope it doesn’t come to that, because I love to see managers showing passion on the touchline.

But unless they can rein it in at least until the dust from the Pardew case settles I can only see heavier punishments heading their way.