Goran Eriksson confirmed Thursday he had tried to bring former England captain David Beckham back to English football with Leicester. Eriksson, who as England manager worked closely with Beckham, is now in charge of second-tier Leicester, whose ambitious Thai owners have made it clear they are prepared to back their Swedish boss in the transfer market. Beckham, who recently turned down an approach from Everton manager David Moyes, is currently playing for the Los Angeles Galaxy in America's Major League Soccer and Eriksson accepts his Foxes will have to be in the top flight if they are to lure big names to the Midlands club. “The owners want a big signing,” Eriksson told Sky Sports Thursday. Leicester, well down the Championship table, has also been linked with Tottenham striker Robbie Keane and Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz. “It is interesting the players that have been mentioned. I made phone calls to more or less all of them,” Eriksson said. “Most of them, they don't really want to come to our league. If we get to the Premier League it will be much easier to get these players. But we are trying and the owners are happy to back me. “If you talk about Beckham, of course I should take Beckham but I don't think he will go anywhere. I spoke to his agent to see if there was a small chance, but he said it was not possible.” Newcastle appoints Pardew as manager Former West Ham boss Alan Pardew was Thursday appointed the new manager of Newcastle United, the Premier League club announced. Pardew succeeds Chris Hughton, who was dismissed Monday in the wake of last weekend's 3-1 loss to West Bromwich Albion which left the Magpies four points above the relegation zone. Pardew's first match in charge is a home fixture against Liverpool Saturday. The 49-year-old was the pundits' - if not the fans' - favorite to take over the St .James' Park hotseat and he becomes Newcastle's ninth permanent manager in the last six years. Hughton, 51, was axed by owner Mike Ashley despite having led the north-east outfit to promotion from the second-tier Championship last season. As well as West Ham, where he guided it to the 2006 FA Cup final, Pardew has also been in charge of Reading, Charlton and Southampton, where he was sacked in August despite has last game in charge of the third division club being a 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers. Ashley has made it clear Pardew will have to do without funds for expensive new signings, having called a halt to major spending on players 18 months ago. Nevertheless, Pardew said: “I am honored and privileged to have been given this opportunity at Newcastle United, one of the truly great clubs in English football. “I understand what this club means to its supporters. Throughout the football world people recognise that this is a unique club in many ways, with supporters who are second to none in their loyalty, passion and devotion for the team. “I'm not a Geordie, of course, but I'm a football person with a love of the game and I can assure you I bring great drive, desire and commitment to the job,” he added. Pardew paid tribute to the work Hughton had done in reviving Newcastle, currently a respectable 12th in the Premier League. “Chris Hughton did a great job last season, guiding the club back to the Premier League, and he continued that good work this season. “It is my aim to build on that now and take this club forward. I have always managed teams that have played attacking positive football, something I know the supporters here appreciate. “At the same time, I intend to focus on developing exciting young players through the club's excellent Academy and development squad, and I know the board here at St. James' Park are very committed to that too. “I can't wait to get started, and what better way to kick-off than welcoming Liverpool to St. James' Park Saturday?” The Magpies have taken just two points from their last 15, a run that does though include a creditable 1-1 draw with Chelsea at St James' last time out. But it has not won since beating leader Arsenal 1-0 on on Nov. 7, which came a week after it thrashed local rival Sunderland 5-1. Despite its reputation as one of the ‘big' clubs, it is more than 40 years since Newcastle won a major trophy - the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, a forerunner of the Europa League. And the wait for domestic success has been even longer, with the last of Newcastle's six FA Cup triumphs coming in 1955 while it is 83 years since it was last crowned champion of England.
