Newcastle team is chosen by me alone, says John Carver

John Carver is adamant Newcastle United’s hierarchy do not interfere in his team selections and maintains he would never allow the board to influence such decisions.


Pointing out he is no yes-man, Carver also disputes comments from the Rangers caretaker manager Kenny McDowall, that five players newly arrived on loan from St James’ Park are contractually obliged to play every game in Scotland when fit. “There’s absolutely nothing like that written in their contracts,” said Newcastle’s interim head coach. “They can’t just go there and expect to go straight in the team, they’ve got to earn the right.”

Carver insists he would not countenance having his team sheets queried by Lee Charnley, Newcastle’s managing director, or Graham Carr, the chief scout. “When we played Hull last week Lee Charnley didn’t even know the team beforehand,” he said. “I have texted him the team at times this season but I didn’t at Hull and I won’t be doing so before Stoke’s visit on Sunday. I won’t be telling him. I don’t have to.

“I can guarantee that I’m most definitely not going to be a yes man. I won’t have anybody telling me what team to pick. I won’t stand for that. If that situation started to develop then I would stop it straight away. I’d confront the situation and say: ‘Look, this isn’t right.’”

When Davide Santon was loaned to Internazionale on transfer deadline day but Carver welcomed no new faces, many Newcastle supporters suspected he was being undermined.

Alan Pardew’s successor not only disagrees but pours scorn on suggestions from Santon’s girlfriend that the Italy full-back was forced out. “It’s been difficult for Davide,” Carver said. “He’s had a knee problem and he hasn’t featured all season. He needs to play senior football and I can’t guarantee it.

“It’s a great move for Davide and for us. Maybe his girlfriend just finds it difficult because she’ll have to move over there. He wasn’t pushed out – he’s still our player and, as far as I’m concerned, he’s coming back here in the summer.”

There are concerns Santon’s departure leaves Carver light on defensive cover but he demurs. “We’ve got options, we’ve got flexibility,” said the coach who felt no need to ask the board for the striker and centre-half many observers believed Newcastle required last month

“I didn’t ask because I know I’ve got a group of players who can get us through to the end of the season – before Monday we actually had too many players,” he said.

One midfielder most definitely not surplus to requirements was Moussa Sissoko, who, despite being widely admired, ended up staying on Tyneside. “It’s a great boost,” Carver said. “Like signing another player. He gives the team so much power with his drives forward so it was important to keep him and we did.”

In contrast he fully endorsed the departures of the Rangers five – Haris Vuckic, Shane Ferguson, Remie Street, Gaël Bigirimana and Kevin Mbabu. “I was absolutely consulted about them and Davide going,” he said. “I encouraged both deals.”


By Louise Taylor, Guardian