Alan Pardew becomes permanent CSKA Sofia manager

Alan Pardew is back! Ex-Crystal Palace, Newcastle and West Ham boss takes his first managerial job in two years to take charge of CSKA Sofia until the end of next season… as he vows to ‘leave a legacy’ in Bulgaria

• CSKA Sofia have announced that Alan Pardew has become their permanent boss
• The Bulgarian club had previously had the 60-year-old as a technical director
• Ex-Crystal Palace manager will now run the team until the end of next season  

Alan Pardew has returned to full-time management for the first time in two years after accepting to take over at Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia. 

Pardew, who has not managed in the Premier League since he was sacked by West Bromwich Albion in 2018, has agreed to take permanent charge through until the end of the 2022-23 season.

The 60-year-old had been at the Bulgarian club as technical director since he was dismissed by Dutch side ADO Den Haag in 2020.

Alan Pardew has agreed to become the permanent manager of Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia

The Bulgarian side had previously installed Pardew as a technical director, joining in 2020

Alex Dyer, formerly of Kilmarnock and Colchester United, as well as Martin Stoyanov and analyst Hristo Zahariev will form part of Pardew’s new-look management team.

‘I have always tried to work with young people, Martin and Hristo are excellent professionals who will have the opportunity to learn from me and Alex,’ Pardew said in a statement. 

‘I hope this will help them progress even more and have the opportunity to apply what we have learned. 

‘My goal is to leave a legacy in CSKA in the future and these young coaches who will work with us now, to be able to help the club in the coming years.’

CSKA Sofia have four games remaining of their current season – three in the league and the other being the Bulgarian Cup final against Levski on May 11. 

Pardew (left) is determined to leave a legacy in Bulgaria by helping educate younger coaches

While Pardew agreed to take caretaker charge last week, this represents his first permanent return to management in two years.

He was only given eight games in charge of Den Haag in Holland before the coronavirus pandemic cut the season short, with the Englishman winning only one of his matches as manager.

Arguably the 59-year-old’s most successful stint as a manager came at Newcastle when he took them to sixth-place in the 2011-12 Premier League season.

Magpies owner Mike Ashley then awarded Pardew with an eight-year contract following that achievement but he was sacked by the north east club in December 2014.

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