John Carver claims he had an "opportunity" to stay on at Newcastle United. The 50-year-old oversaw one of the most disastrous runs in The Magpies' history during the second half of the 2014/15 Barclays Premier League season, but says the club wanted him to stay. If what Sir Bobby Robson's former assistant claims is true, it is likely that John, and Steve Stone, would have been offered the chance to stay on as part of Steve McClaren's back room staff. But that makes the fact they pair were both sacked, all the more stranger. Carver claims that he, and Stone, left on their own terms - even though quite literally the entire 'press pack' reported they had been pushed rather than being afforded the opportunity to walk. Speaking on Sky Sports' Goals On Sunday, Carver said: "There was an opportunity for me to stay at the club but I was thought it was best for everybody, and for myself in particular, to move on as if I'd hung around and we had a bad start then finger would have been pointed at me. "I sat down & had a conversation with Lee Charnley and it was amicable. We decided it was best interests for me to move on." It would have been interesting to see how Steve McClaren would have reacted if he was told Carver and Stone had to be part of his back room staff and there was no room to manoeuvre. Who knows, maybe the former England manager wouldn't have taken the job at all... For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow whatculture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.
