John Carver says Steve McClaren had NO say in Newcastle United’s summer recruitment.
The club signed four senior players this summer at a cost of more than £50million.
Steve McClaren
But incoming head coach McClaren did not have a significant input into the recruitment process, despite having a place on the board.
That’s the view of Carver, who was appointed as the club’s interim head coach after Alan Pardew’s departure at the turn of the year.
Carver – who left the club in the summer after the club narrowly escaped relegation – often spoke of the calibre of the player the club were looking at in the latter months of last season.
And he said: “The players they’ve bought were coming in whether I was the manager, Steve McClaren was the manager or you were the manager.
The players they’ve bought were coming in whether I was the manager, Steve McClaren was the manager or you were the manager.
John Carver
“When I was there, I was watching (Aleksandar) Mitrovic and (Georginio) Wijnaldum. I knew they were targets already.
“There’s a system in place of how they do their business, and a boss can only succeed if they go into the club understanding what it’s all about.
“I didn’t have a problem with it. But Steve might, because he’s new to it.”
McClaren – whose side are bottom of the Premier League with eight games played – had wanted the club to sign Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin.
But the club baulked at his £15million price tag.