How the Rafa-lution continues at the Toon
LEE RYDER ON THE RISE AND FALL OF THE MAGPIES CHIEF SCOUT GRAHAM CARR
NEWCASTLE United will continue their work in the summer transfer window without chief scout Graham Carr.
Just two years after announcing a “football board” at St James’ Park, United have now parted company with two of the four original members in Carr and sacked ex-head coach Steve McClaren.
It had all started very cordially back in summer 2015 as Newcastle looked forward to another new era and McClaren had been described as the “perfect fit” to work at St James’ Park.
However, it quickly started to falter and while McClaren was highly recommended by Carr as the man to fit into the club’s continental recruitment system, the former Middlesbrough and England chief grew frustrated and questioned some of the players brought in for him.
Bob Moncur remains at the club but Rafa Benitez has full control of “football business” and continues to work closely with managing director Lee Charnley.
News of Carr’s exit broke just before 9pm on Wednesday night and, while he left with good wishes from his former employers, it signalled a clean break for the Magpies under Benitez.
Some might say it wasn’t a surprise, but Mike Ashley is a loyal man and loved being in the company of Carr.
The pair had thrashed out a longterm deal for Carr back in 2012 over cold drinks in the sun in Majorca and always got on well socially.
Carr still had three years to run on a lucrative eight-year deal, but the arrival of Benitez had always put a question mark above the former Tottenham and Manchester City scout’s head.
For all that, Benitez was initially happy to work with Carr.
His only priority when he agreed to take over the club in 2016 was to keep them in the Premier League and while that mission unfortunately failed, Benitez’s decision to stay on in the Championship was based on having control of football business.
Carr’s position was not questioned for a while.
Despite his presence in the background at Newcastle, Benitez was able to hand-pick the 12 summer signings he wanted this time last year and there seemed to be no issues behind the scenes.
It was only after Newcastle’s home loss to Blackburn Rovers that there appeared to be a little bit of unrest at the end of November.
Then a Sunday newspaper report in early January, following the 2-1 win at Brentford, read: “The owner has put his foot down midway through the transfer window and taken measures to have a greater say over the comings and goings at St James’ Park.”
It also stated that: “Graham Carr is set for a direct role in all future purchases.”
Everybody knows what happened next as Newcastle failed to sign a player in January. When Benitez was asked why United didn’t sign anybody that month he replied: “It wasn’t my decision.”
However, rather than sulking about what had gone on, Benitez answered by delivering the Sky Bet Championship trophy and won promotion in style.
After stalling on a couple of deals in the opening weeks of the window many fans were left wondering what was happening at St James’ – but the exit of Carr should leave people in no doubt that Benitez is calling the shots on the recruitment front.
It is understood that Benitez had already made some significant tweaks to the scouting department in recent times.
Previously Carr had enjoyed a free rein when it came to scouting missions with Holland, France and Spain among his regular jaunts.
Benitez, though, wanted the search to be much more extensive across the Continent and stated last August: “For me, it doesn’t matter where the player comes from, as long as he has the right mentality, character and the quality we need.
“Sometimes it is true that there is better value in other countries in Europe but we look at players from every league, it does not matter the country.