Nearly two decades after a touchline bust-up between Alan Pardew and Arsene Wenger, former West Ham striker Marlon Harewood has revealed how he and teammates teased the manager. The incident occurred after Harewood's 90th-minute winner against Arsenal at Upton Park in 2006, sparking a confrontation between the two bosses.
Pardew celebrated provocatively toward the Arsenal bench, prompting Wenger to shove him. The pair exchanged heated words, with Wenger reportedly calling Pardew a disgrace, and they did not shake hands after the match. Pardew was later fined £10,000 for his part in the altercation.
Speaking on the podcast 'In The Mixer', Harewood said: 'We were hammering him and saying, "You'd get beat up." I didn't even know because I was celebrating. Then we sat down in the dressing room and we had a big screen in front of us and saw the confrontation. We were like, "Pards, what are you doing? You're gonna get beaten up!"'
Harewood also reflected on his relationship with Pardew, who had signed him. Despite a strong start, the pair's bond soured when Harewood lost his place in the side during the following season. 'The relationship is not really there because you're not doing as well as you should be,' Harewood admitted, though he understood Pardew's decisions amid mounting pressure.
