Newcastle United have cleared the way for Steve McClaren’s impending arrival as manager by sacking John Carver and the first-team coach, Steve Stone. The former England manager is expected to take charge at St James’ Park this week, despite rejecting the club on two occasions last season.
McClaren’s appointment could be confirmed on Wednesday – providing the final details of his move, including the composition of his back-room staff, are agreed upon his return from a family holiday.
Newcastle took the first step towards welcoming a new coaching team on Tuesday, when Carver and Stone were released from contracts that still had five years remaining. Carver’s dismissal follows a dreadful spell as the interim head coach that almost resulted in his home-town club’s relegation from the Premier League.
The 50-year-old had hoped to secure the manager’s job on a permanent basis after replacing Alan Pardew on temporary terms at the turn of the year. Newcastle were 10th when Pardew departed for Crystal Palace following a 3-2 win over Everton on 28 December but plummeted under Carver and only secured their top-flight status with victory over West Ham United on the final day of the season. That was only the third win from Carver’s 20 matches in charge, a return that included eight consecutive Premier League defeats and the loss of their leading striker Papiss Cissé for seven matches after he was banned for spitting at Manchester United’s Jonny Evans.
Newcastle’s temporary head coach still hoped to remain at the club despite that poor run and criticism from supporters who were infuriated by the lack of investment from the owner, Mike Ashley, and the managing director Lee Charnley’s delay in appointing a successor to Pardew. Last week Carver rang Ryan Taylor and Jonás Gutiérrez, who scored the goal that sealed victory over West Ham, having recovered from testicular cancer earlier in the season, to inform the pair their contracts would not be renewed. He was also involved in Newcastle’s early transfer plans for the summer before the club’s hierarchy opted for a fresh start under McClaren.
Both Carver and Stone leave with pay-offs but the goalkeeping coach, Andy Woodman, who also has five years left on his contract, has not been sacked. Pardew is believed to be keen on taking Woodman to Palace and Newcastle would be due compensation should that move materialise. Dave Watson, promoted to the first-team coaching staff after Pardew’s exit, is to return to the club’s youth academy.
McClaren rejected an approach from Newcastle in January following Pardew’s exit and at the tail end of last season when the side were immersed in a relegation fight. The former England manager opted to remain at Derby County – only to be sacked after his team slipped out of the play-off places on the final day of the Championship season.
Newcastle remained keen on the 54-year-old, however, and were also interested in Patrick Vieira, currently head of Manchester City’s elite development squad. McClaren has not managed in the Premier League since 2006, when he left Middlesbrough for England, having won the League Cup and guided the club to that season’s Uefa Cup final. He led FC Twente to their one and only Dutch title in 2010.
The Newcastle-born sports psychologist Steve Black, who worked with McClaren during his brief time as coach of Queens Park Rangers in 2013, could be part of his new back-room team at St James’.
