What Does John Carver's Appointment Mean for Newcastle United?

John Carver’s official appointment as Newcastle United interim manager until the summer has been met with a mixed response. As with so many moves that Mike Ashley has made at the helm, it’s difficult to ascertain exactly where his best interests lie.

Carver’s credentials as a coach—as well as his passion for the club—are unquestionable, and now, 11 years after he last had a stint in charge of the Magpies, he is finally being given the opportunity to truly show what he can do.

There are questions to be asked about his ability to make the step up from coaching to the managerial hot seat. His only spell as a head coach came at Toronto FC, and lasted a little over a year. His one full season in charge saw the Reds finish bottom of the Eastern Conference.

Football is littered with examples of superb coaches who didn’t have either the tactical nous or the man management skills to cope as managers, and Carver’s interim spell interview didn’t exactly bode well for the Tyneside native.

In four games, he drew his first—taking the lead three times against an injury-ravaged Burnley side—and lost the subsequent three. Despite a spirited display away to Chelsea, it wasn’t a promising return. A loss to Leicester City in the FA Cup was particularly chastening.

The argument can be made—and has been done so by the club’s hierarchy—that Carver’s appointment has been motivated by the club not wishing to pick a new coach too hastily. Predecessor Alan Pardew was part-way through an eight year contract when he left for Crystal Palace, which is demonstrative of Ashley’s desire to stand by his man once he’s chosen him.

From a more cynical—although not unjustified—point of view, the choice of Carver could be seen as indicative of the lack of ambition that Ashley has shown throughout his time in charge. He famously issued down the edict that success in cup competitions was undesirable due to the apparent correlation between cup runs and relegation. While Carver clearly wants the best for the club, he is unlikely to rock the boat when it comes to standing up to Ashley.

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This perception about Ashley’s unwillingness to take the club forward has been exacerbated by the growing likelihood of him taking over Rangers. He will be content to simply keep the Magpies’ biggest on-pitch asset—their Premier League status—intact.

Newcastle’s 3-0 victory away to a desperately poor Hull City team should give the side the springboard they need for safety this season, and if the players continue to perform for “the Miserable One,” it’s not inconceivable that Carver will be given the job permanently in the summer.

It’s hard to see him bringing about the long-term success that a club of Newcastle’s stature deserve, but at this stage in the Ashley era, it’s difficult to see whoever replaces him bringing any real joy to St. James' Park either.