Alan Pardew texts Yannick Bolasie saying he hopes the Everton star has a dodgy dinner before taking on West Brom
Baggies chief was the winger's boss at Palace and jokes that he has given the star food for thought ahead of the Goodison clash
ALAN PARDEW hopes Yannick Bolasie tucks into a dodgy dinner before today’s Goodison Park clash.
West Brom boss Pardew managed the Everton winger at Crystal Palace - and revealed he had texted him with a message that would have given him food for thought.
Pardew joked: “I sent him a text on Thursday and said I hoped he’d eat something that doesn’t agree with him!
“Maybe we’ve got some leftover pies, I’ll see the chef. But pies aren’t really his diet.”
But Pardew has also been following the player’s inspirational messages on WhatsApp.
He has happy to see the Frenchman back in action again after a cruciate knee ligament injury kept him out for over a year.
Bolasie returned in the 0-0 draw against Albion on Boxing Day.
Pardew added: “He sent me through some inspirational quotes.
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“Yala does sometimes on his WhatsApp.
“He’s inspiring me with his God given messages. Bless him.
“Some of them are very good.
“I love Yala and think he’s one of the great characters of the game.
"I’m so pleased he’s recovered from such a terrible injury. He’s playing really well.
“He’s a brilliant person to have in the changing room and a great, great player.
“I’ve kept in touch a little but, I think it’s important when players get serious injuries, if they’ve worked under you, then you’re conscious of that.
“It’s probably the worst time for a footballer.
“They can have down time and not play very well or not be in the team.
“But when it’s a long injury, mentally it can be a lonely place.”
Pardew says he has good memories of Bolasie at Palace.
He added: “He had an abundance of natural talent, it was just enhancing that.
“He learned some decent stuff at Palace in terms of the balance between defending and attacking.
"I thought he was a bit more diligent than he needed to be at times.”
Albion midfielder Gareth Barry is also set to make his first return to Everton since leaving for The Hawthorns on a free last summer.
And Pardew says it was the best move he could have made - as there were no guarantees he would be in the first team at Goodison now.
Pardew added: “Gareth could still be there, might not be in the first team and might not have the same motivation he has from playing week in, week out- so sometimes it’s good for both parties.
“Sometimes it’s good for players as well as clubs and maybe it’s good for Gareth.”
And Pardew has picked Barry’s brains about what Albion might face today.
He added: “I did have a little chat with him about a couple of little things.
“The thing about football clubs is that managers change - but the kind of feeling of the club stays the same - the way they play, the way the crowd generate noise and how it works.
“I talked to him a little bit about that and how we can help our cause, but I’m not going to give you any answers!
“The response he will get from the Everton fans will say everything about what he did there.
“You’re talking about a player who has played more games in the Premier League than anybody else.
“This is an amazing man who just produces great performances.
“He’s played over 600 Premier League games. That’s incredible.
“And he doesn’t miss a day’s training, every day he’s low maintenance.
“He won’t offer you an opinion unless you ask him, so you have to ask him. He’s a very together man.”