Exclusive: Former Newcastle United full-back Stephen Carr opens up on Newcastle past and present
Former Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr. Inset: Eddie Howe
Ex-Newcastle United defender Stephen Carr. Inset: Eddie Howe
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Stephen Carr knows all about upheaval and management change. Four games after moving to Newcastle to play under Sir Bobby Robson, the great man was gone, brutally sacked by Freddie Shepherd.
It was the start of a management upheaval which saw Carr work for four further permanent bosses - Graeme Souness, Glenn Roeder, Sam Allardyce and Kevin Keegan. By this point, however, the Irishman was used to it. His 10 years at Tottenham Hotspur had seen five bosses come and go since Ossie Ardiles handed him his debut.
It's fair to say that Carr knows what he's talking about when it comes to managers and the stress they are under. At his old club, Eddie Howe is starting to feel that strain but Carr couldn't be clearer on the job the Magpies chief is doing.
"I will always speak up for Eddie Howe," Carr said in an exclusive chat. "What he’s done at Newcastle is phenomenal.
"I know fans pay a lot of money, pay for their season tickets, ring the families and kids and if they don’t get results then the manager will get it. But what he’s done with his hands tied, I think is remarkable. He comes in for pressure but I think it would be a big loss if he was to leave that club.
"He’s earned the right to have dips for what he’s done for the club, what he’s done with the Champions League and all. They’re not big spenders. Yeah they spent big on the centre forward but in general, they don’t spend massive so with the cards he’s dealt he’s done a remarkable job."
It's a passionate response from the Irishman who still has a lot of affection for Newcastle despite openly admitting his time on Tyneside was a frustration. A marquee signing in the summer of 2004, alongside the likes of Nicky Butt, Patrick Kluivert and James Milner, Carr's time at the club was spoiled by niggly injuries and a revolving door of managers.
He stops short of calling it a failure but after playing a role in helping the side to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup and an FA Cup semi-final in his first season, it was downhill from then on as knee and ankle problems plagued him.
"There was quite a lot of frustration," Carr admitted. "I had a lot of injuries, so I didn't feel I ever got really going and do what I could and show that to the fans there. The fans are amazing up there, obviously, but I had a lot of stop-start in my career there, which you can't control. You get injuries, but I still look back to it a lot of fondness.
Stephen Carr shows his frustration after missing a chance for Newcastle United against Bolton at St James' Park on January 19, 2008
Stephen Carr shows his frustration for Newcastle United in 2008
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"My family loved it there and I loved it there. I loved the people, I still have friends there. But I felt I didn't fulfil my potential or do what I went there to do.
"I left Tottenham after being there for 12 years. I wanted to make a name for myself. I don't feel like I achieved what I wanted to achieve there for different reasons, with a lot of change of managers and a lot of injuries, So it is what it is.
"I still enjoyed being back there at times and they were really, really good people. I learned it is a bit different to London because a lot goes on in London, but Newcastle is football and nothing else, just football. That was a completely different situation for me, which took a little bit of time to get used to.
"I wouldn't say it was a failure there, but I didn't do what I wanted to do and achieve there, to be honest."
The manager situation played its part too. Having signed for Sir Bobby, Carr admitted he was devastated when the ex-England boss was fired. Legendary status on Tyneside didn't matter and Robson was axed amid reports of player unrest. It's a situation many have compared to Howe's current predicament - a hero who is under pressure - but Carr believes the current squad are right behind the Toon chief.
"I was devastated as Sir Bobby was one of the main reasons I went to Newcastle, to work under a special manager," he told Chronicle Live via Gambling.com, where you can explore top UK online casinos. "So I was gutted. I’m sure there were players who were happy because they weren’t involved but you get that everywhere. I had it when George Graham was sacked at Tottenham - I was gutted because he had a massive influence on me.
"I’ve never been in a dressing room where they were against the manager. You disagree with the manager at times but that’s normal with any manager in any business. But I’ve never gone in where players are thinking ‘I hope he goes’. You will always have disgruntled players, you will always have players who aren’t playing for whatever reason - the manager makes the decision and he lives and dies by it. Sometimes it’s the right decision, sometimes it’s the wrong decision.
"We had Shearer, Butty, Scott Parker, Michael Owen - massive figures there. But great leadership, lads who wanted to give everything regardless of what’s going on upstairs, regardless of what the fans want.
"Players are paid by football club, from the fans to perform for that jersey. That’s the way I always looked at it. I didn’t get on with every manager but I always gave everything for the club. The rest was irrelevant to me.
"Would you agree with some tactics? That doesn’t matter - the manager is being employed to try and get the best out of that squad of players. He’s the hero or the villain. It’s a tough job, that’s why I never went it to it. It’s very hard to win in that job. I don’t think people really take into account what a manager has to go through - media, fans, upstairs, the whole noise around it and then trying to get a team to go out and play."
Emre, Kevin Keegan, Stephen Carr and Damien Duff during a Newcastle United training session
Emre, Kevin Keegan, Stephen Carr and Damien Duff during a Newcastle training session
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Carr's Newcastle career was ultimately brought to an end by another Newcastle legend, Kevin Keegan. The full-back dropped behind Habib Beye and Geremi in the pecking order, had a number of disagreements with Keegan and at the end of the 2007-08 season his contract wasn't renewed.
It's all water under the bridge, however, and with Keegan battling cancer, Carr has sent him his best wishes.
"Kevin’s a top guy. I had a few little run ins with him in different ways but that’s what you should have. I was honest with him, he was honest with me.
"I had a lot of time for Kevin, he’s a legend there. He’s done it all - he was a top, top player. Hopefully he gets well soon, he’s obviously going through a tough time so hopefully he gets well soon. Kevin’s a top guy, a top manager and the people in Newcastle love him there and he deserves that respect."