Pardew leaves ADO Den Haag after four months in charge

(Reuters) - ADO Den Haag manager Alan Pardew has left the Dutch club after only four months in charge, having at the weekend rejected a bonus payment after they held on to their top-flight status.

“The club and the 58-year-old coach have decided after positive consultation not to continue next season. Assistant coaches Chris Powell and Paul Butler, whose contracts were also due to expire, will also not return,” the club’s general manager Mohammed Hamdi said.

"Alan stuck his neck out four months ago by taking the job in a very difficult season for the club.

“We have a lot of respect for that, which also applies to his track record in football. Due to the coronavirus situation, football could only be played until March 7, but we thank Alan, Chris and Paul for their efforts."

Pardew said in the same statement: “I have positive feelings for this club and I have enjoyed the passion of the fans. I look back on a beautiful adventure in the Netherlands.”

Den Haag were second from bottom when the Dutch season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The league cancelled the rest of the campaign last week, but it was decided that there would be no relegation, meaning Den Haag were not demoted as had been expected.

Two days ago, the former Newcastle United and West Ham United manager denied reports he would take a bonus for avoiding relegation.

“If I was formally entitled to an amount, I would never want to receive it. In this difficult period, I would always return any bonus to the club, which will certainly find a good destination for it,” he said on Sunday.

Pardew said he wanted the money given to Den Haag’s non-playing staff or donated to the Dutch health service.

“I hope this clears up any misunderstandings caused by press reports,” he added.

Pardew, whose previous managerial stints in England also included spells at Reading, Charlton Athletic, Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion, was appointed as manager of the Dutch minnows just after Christmas and tasked with saving them from relegation.

With the relegation battle and the title fight being scrapped, he can be said to have succeeded.

Although he admitted: “Of course there is relief, but modesty is in order. I had the belief that we could accomplish our mission, we were not in good shape and we will never know if we would have succeeded."

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)