I BELIEVE I’M THE LEAGUE’S BEST COACH
Carver insists he’s man to stop the rot at crisis club Newcastle
IT never bodes well when football managers reach into their pockets for a piece of paper in front of the television cameras. For Rafa Benitez, it was the beginning of the end at Liverpool. Manchester United’s PR staff could barely conceal their trepidation when Louis van Gaal rose to Sam Allardyce’s long-ball taunts by handing out statistical proof to the contrary at a press conference in February.
So when Newcastle’s interim boss John Carver pulled out a handwritten letter in Spanish from captain Fabricio Coloccini yesterday, it felt like the act of a manager who knows his team are on the brink.
This was a manager who made the startling assertion that he is ‘the best coach in the Premier League’ despite presiding over eight defeats in a row.
Carver’s intention in showing off Coloccini’s letter was to prove that the player’s public apology to supporters in midweek was written by him and not the club’s media department.
The bold claim about his own capabilities was to emphasise that he still has self-belief despite a rotten run that, he acknowledges, would get others the sack.
But it still came across as rather odd at a time when Newcastle are fighting for their Premier League lives with three games to go.
Carver’s honesty has already caused a stir once in recent days after he accused defender Mike Williamson of getting himself sent off on purpose against Leicester to duck the relegation battle.
A series of crisis meetings followed between Newcastle’s executives, management and playing staff. Derby manager Steve McClaren was offered Carver’s job and turned it down. The club issued a call for unity, Coloccini his apology. Carver has made up with Williamson and said he received apologies from Daryl Janmaat — also sent off last weekend — and three other players.
He emerged from it all yesterday in defiant mood. ‘I still have the enthusiasm for it,’ said Carver. ‘I am a positive guy. I still think I’m the best coach in the Premier League. That’s what I think.
‘The day I lose my belief is the day I will do something totally different. I will walk away from it or retire. If I have the right tools I can do the job.
‘But, it’s not a normal situation. I’ll tell you what a normal situation is. After six games, they’d have said “there’s your P45, you’ r e fired”. That is a normal situation in football in Premier League management. But with all the circumstances going on here that hasn’t happened because they know the situation. That is why they are backing me.
‘I had a healthy conversation with managing director Lee Charnley. I got the backing from Mike Ashley.
‘Everyone is behind me. I’m talking about Mike, Lee, all of the players and all of the staff.’
Reminded that McClaren was asked to take over for the final three games, Carver replied: ‘It’s been going on since I took this position, so I am used to it. But I haven’t taken any notice of it.’
Carver’s job now is to somehow stop the rot at home to West Bromwich Albion tomorrow — a game he ranks as Newcastle’s biggest since they went down on the last day at Aston Villa six years ago.
With Williamson and Janmaat banned, Coloccini could be his only fit senior defender. Striker Papiss Cisse could be also risked after train- ing for the first time in seven weeks yesterday.
Carver confirmed that he had shaken hands with Williamson and suggested that his comments were intended to ‘stir the hornets’ nest’.
‘I’ve got to try and get something out of them,’ he added. ‘There’s nothing personal in any of it. I’m doing it to get a reaction.
‘Me and Mike have had a good discussion. At the end of the conversation, we stood up, shook each other’s hand. There are no hard feelings.’
Then he produced Coloccini’s letter.
‘I’ve heard one or two people say it was a PR stunt by the football club. I have brought the letter with me, in his handwriting, in Spanish — that’s the letter there, signed by Colo.
‘ This was the third draft he put together because of his grammar. That is the genuine letter, from his heart. That letter proves to me he is up for the fight.
‘ It also proves that when the players had their meeting on Monday — I wasn’t involved and neither were any of the other coaching staff — they dealt with the situation.
‘ It must hurt them because it hurts me when people say we’re not trying. The only way to get rid of the hurt is by doing something about it.’