Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has insisted that his role at the club has not changed despite the arrival of new director of football Joe Kinnear.
Kinnear will now have the final say on transfers in and out of the club, and his new position has raised concerns with supporters who believe that Pardew has been undermined.
The resignation of managing director Derek Llambias two days after Kinnear's appointment did nothing to ease the concerns, but Pardew claims that Kinnear will merely take on the same role as Llambias had at the club.
"It's quite simple really: for whatever reason, [owner] Mike [Ashley] and Derek, something had happened there with their relationship," he told reporters. "It had broken down somewhat, and I am sad to see Derek go, I am, because I think he has done a great job for the club and I will miss him.
"With that out of the way, that had to be replaced, that role, and what Mike decided to do was employ a football person to do that job in Joe, so really and truly, my position hasn't changed and Joe has come to do Derek's job.
"The most important thing for me is that I have a seven-year contract to manage this football team. I have not said anything but trust me, anyone who knows me will tell you that in my career, I have not let anyone step on my toes. I will be my own man because ultimately, I carry the responsibility of the team."
Pardew added that Newcastle need to perform better than they did last season.
"Now the team last year, for me, didn't function as well as it should have," he said. "Having said that, had we won the last game, we would have been in a completely different position, but a somewhat false position in my opinion, so I am under no illusions that we need to improve on that.
"Whether we can reach the heights when we finished fifth is yet to be seen, but I have come back, I am re-energised. I am hoping that Joe does as good a job as Derek, if not better, in terms of persuading Mike and pushing Mike to get us the players that I feel we need."
Meanwhile, Pardew has outlined his plans to sign a striker in the summer transfer window.
