Paul Merson usually spends the majority of his time slagging of Newcastle United - yet the former Arsenal forward is now encouraging the club to "show ambition" by trying to sign a big-name head coach such as Jurgen Klopp or Brendan Rodgers. John Carver has been in charge of the Magpies on an interim basis ever since Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace at the turn of the year but Sir Bobby Robson's former assistant has won just two matches during that period. Due to Carver's poor track record, Merson believes Newcastle owner Mike Ashley must show some "ambition" by targeting a coach with a proven track record. And he believes opting for someone like Klopp - who has proven pedigree having claimed two Bundesliga titles with Borussia Dortmund but will leave the club at the end of this season following a difficult campaign - would represent that. Merson also thinks that Rodgers could be a progressive choice if he were to be sacked by Liverpool, who the former Swansea City boss almost led to the Premier League title last season but who will miss out on Champions League football this term. Writing in his Daily Star column, Merson said of the managerial situation at Newcastle:
"I think Ashley needs to show some ambition. They need a new manager and they need him quickly. But who's going to take the job? No Geordie would ever turn it down, but I think Newcastle need to aim much bigger than that. "Go for a top-drawer manager. Go for Jurgen Klopp. They get 50,000 there every game and the fans are amazing. If you could only get the place going. Dortmund weren't very good before Klopp. But even if he turns you down, at least you've shown some ambition. "If Brendan Rodgers gets sacked by Liverpool, go for him. Go for somebody who's going to get the fans excited, because at the moment Newcastle are in a mess."
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