Two imminent sets of crisis talks at two separate football clubs in separate leagues could determine the future of Newcastle United. Widespread media reports claim that Derby County will hold talks with boss Steve McClaren over his future following The Rams missing out on the Championship play-offs on the final day of the campaign yesterday. Meanwhile, Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has reportedly demanded immediate talks today with struggling head coach John Carver after perhaps the most demoralising display in the Magpies' entire history saw them surrender meekly to Leicester City yesterday, with the added self-harm of seeing two experienced players plunge the club into a defensive crisis at the worst possible time. If a scenario plays out where both the owners of Derby and Newcastle want rid of their current managerial occupiers then it seems highly likely that McClaren finds himself in an emergency appointment at St. James' Park, with the herculean task of lifting performances out of a defeated squad to gain enough points in The Magpies' last three games to keep them in the Premier League. The Ex-England and Middlesbrough head coach had been an early favourite for the Newcastle job on a permanent basis after Alan Pardew's exit at the turn of the year. One popular media theory for why he isn't boss right now was that Ashley was unwilling to pay a compensation package for McClaren whilst he was Derby County manager and he instead placed Carver in temporary charge whilst he watched how managerial situations developed at various clubs (and likely also hoping that Carver would do a decent enough job to warrant an appointment himself); though it's also been suggested that McClaren turned down Ashley's initial approach in order to finish the job of getting his Championship side promoted. With the failure of achieving that, McClaren declared yesterday after Derby's disappointing loss to Reading;
Im under contract here at Derby. What I am aiming to do now is sit down over the next 2 days and talk with the board. Im under contract at Derby and I have no clue whats happening at Newcastle.
Is McClaren the man to save Newcastle and stop a record breaking 8 league defeats in a row, the worst in the club's entire existence? Newcastle fans would likely respond with; "anyone but Carver". Certainly if McClaren had been appointed in January, it would have gone down like a lead balloon. An unattractive, unglamorous proposition of a manager whose track record is only so-so at his many clubs since his epic failure as England boss. There's no doubting that he's not a name that could compete on an excitement level with the likes of Ajax manager Frank De Boer, Remi Garde and now Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel who were once muted. But, given the circumstances Newcastle find themselves in, The Magpies are now themselves the lead balloon and the appointment of McClaren would likely give the fans a lift that a change in fortunes could be on the horizon. The perfect storm of Newcastle's relegation to the Championship seems to be brewing with Sunderland and Aston Villa winning their games yesterday, leaving Newcastle two points above the drop with a poor goal difference, poor manager, poor attitude, poor squad depth and poor prospects of getting of helping themselves out of it. McClaren's probable appointment may not have the same fan hope that the hiring of Alan Shearer did when faced with a similar situation in 2009... but then again... Newcastle fans remember how that turned out all too well. He may not be the coach fans want but the wally with the brolly may be the one they need right now. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCultureNUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
Matt Holmes is the co-founder of What Culture, formerly known as Obsessed With Film. He has been blogging about pop culture and entertainment since 2006 and has written over 10,000 articles.
