Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew has warned Cheick Tiote to be more controlled on field following his red card against Sunderland.
The Ivorian was given his marching orders during last weekend’s Premier League clash for a reckless tackle on Steven Fletcher, which contributed to the Magpies losing their 1-0 lead.
Tiote will sit out the next three league games and Pardew has admitted that he is concerned about the midfielder’s hot headedness:
“I have worries about his disciplinary record.” He is quoted to have said by The Express.
“He is one of our big players and I can’t have him not playing for us. It could be costly and he needs to understand that.”
The man who arrived in a £3.5m deal from Dutch outfit FC Twente has been a persistent offender during his spell in the North East.
His ‘all-or-nothing’ approach has seen him pick up a staggering 33 bookings and red cards in just two years.
Despite this Pardew did have some sympathy for his player:
“Where we are at the moment, almost every mis-timed tackle is a booking.
“The sanitisation of the game is a little bit worrying because I like the physical side. I think we all do.”
