As the end of the season and the start of the Transfer Window draws nearer, the newspapers are filling their back pages with transfer news, details on done deals and speculation from the rumour mill.
There are of course quite a few weeks until any potential movement can actually occur but as always, speculation surrounding the futures of Newcastle players and Graham Carr’s reported transfer targets continues to grow. Though the most important decision that Lee Charnley will be forced to make this summer will not be which players manoeuvre from the club’s Benton base this summer but the final decision on who will become Newcastle’s latest head coach appointment instead.
When Alan Pardew departed for Crystal Palace at the turn of the year, there was an overriding feeling of joyousness among the Geordie faithful as Mike Ashley’s yes-man had gone. But that was quickly brushed aside by the feeling of despair when his right hand man, John Carver, was announced as the man to guide us the rest of the way, despite some reputable names like Frank de Boer and Thomas Tuchel being linked with the job.
Under Carver’s management, Newcastle have yielded just two wins in 18 games, as well as experiencing their worst run in the Premier League era of eight straight defeats, to leave them only two points clear of the drop zone. By virtue of his dismal performance as manager, it seems virtually impossible for Lee Charnley to even consider Carver as a potential candidate for the permanent head coach vacancy.
Instead, he had reportedly penciled Rayo Vallecano’s Paco Jemez as a potential replacement for the underperforming John Carver, who is set to step down from his role as manager at the end of the season but, according to Spanish news outlet AS, Rayo are optimistic of tying him down to a new deal. A source close to the club admitted both parties are “getting closer” to agreeing at least a two-year contract extension.
Charnley will now go back to the drawing board to single out a suitable candidate to replace John Carver, who must be able to work under the club’s continental model and cope with their communication system – with Carver’s successor and Graham Carr reporting to managing director Charnley, who in turn reports to Mike Ashley. It’s more than likely that our model would suit a coach from the continent – someone with a history of developing youth and coping with the sales of his star players.
In my eyes, the best man for the job is the one-time bookies favourite to become Alan Pardew’s successor, Remi Garde.
In his first season as manager, Garde guided Lyon to a 3rd place finish in the league and the Coupe de France title. The following season he won the French equivalent of the Community Shield, as well as securing a second successive 3rd place finish in Ligue 1. Although his third season wasn’t as successful in terms of cups or league position, Garde still maintained his impressive 51% win rate. All this while club president Jean-Michel Aulas continued to cash-in on the club’s stars – simply outstanding.
He previously admitted he was not desperate to return to coaching, despite loving his previous experience with Lyon, but did admit he wouldn’t rule out diving into a new project – if it suited him. When speaking to reporters about his future, back in January, Garde said: “I needed to recover and rejuvenate myself. I do not close the door to anything or to take another year off, or, to dive into a project that would suit me.”
He was then questioned on whether the role at St James’ Park would suit him, to which he responded: “I have a duty of confidentiality in this matter to Newcastle, I will be very honest with respect to the leaders of Newcastle, I can’t say more.”
Cost-cutting may have to be put on hold in order to recruit a suitable replacement for John Carver – someone of Garde’s standard who can work under Newcastle’s strict model. Failure to do so will see the Magpies falter once again next season with relegation appearing the most likely option.
