Skip to content

John Carver knew how tough it would be as Newcastle boss

John Carver: A frustrated Newcastle manager on the touch-line at Sunderland
Image: John Carver says he knew what pressures faced him at Newcastle

John Carver insists he knew what he was walking into when he accepted the reins at Newcastle having already seen the pressures and challenges the job brings at close hand.

The 50-year-old was installed as head coach until the end of the season in January after Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace and, in doing so, stepped out of the shadows at St James' Park following spells working under Ruud Gullit, Sir Bobby Robson and Pardew.

However, Carver’s hopes of securing the job on a permanent basis are uncertain with the Magpies having only won two of the 13 games he has been in charge for, which included last week’s derby defeat at Sunderland.

Despite that Carver, who takes his side to Liverpool on Monday Night Football Live on Sky Sports 1 HD, is adamant that he knew exactly what to expect when he was offered the top job.

He said: "I always knew it was going to be tough because I saw what happened to managers in the past when I was around them - top managers, top players turning into managers, top coaches, I have seen the whole lot, so it hasn't surprised me.

"That's why I wanted to give it a go. I wanted to give it a go because I didn't want to have any regrets. I wanted to have a go and to be honest; I believe in my own ability and I believe if I have got the tools - I really do - I could do a good job and a successful job.

"I genuinely believe that, and if it means putting up with what I have to put up with and losing the social life that I had, then the way forward with what we have got and what we are planning on doing in the summer, if I'm the guy who is fortunate enough to do that job, then I'm excited, and that's why I want to do it."

As well as having to manage his own frustration over the derby loss to Sunderland, Carver has also had to try to handle the criticism which has come his way when he has bumped into supporters.

While he accepts that comes with the territory,  he said he has been appreciative of the support of other football people.

He said: "The only saving grace or solace is the golf club. I get stick there, yeah, but it's Freddy Shepherd, Alan Shearer, Stevie Harper ... Lee Cattermole, by the way.

"They are a bit more understanding, they understand what's going on and how things are going on. It's quite nice because you then get football people talking about football, who understand.

"Listen, I have said it from day one: I can't hide from what happened on Sunday, and I won't hide from it. What I won't do is I won't take abuse, and certainly none of my family will take abuse. That is a fact.

"But I have to accept what people say. As long as it is done the right way and in a constructive manner, I can accept that."

Carver held a no-holds-barred team meeting on Wednesday to clear the air and leave his players in little doubt as to what is required of them in the remaining seven games of the campaign, and said he has seen a response on the training ground since.

But he admits that the days when players would apologise for a poor performance are long gone.

He said: "People don't apologise now. The only people who apologise are people like me. Those days have gone - the modern footballer is different.

"Gary Speed used to apologise to me every single day, because of how he trained. He would run through a brick wall, he would want to fight and scrap with you.

"Then he would say, 'Sorry, JC'. If there was a bad refereeing decision in training, he would come over later and say, 'Sorry, JC, you know I don't mean it, give us a cuddle'."

Around Sky