The vacant manager’s job at Newcastle will be an attractive proposition to some candidates if it is advertised as a ‘head coach’ role, according to Newcastle Chronicle journalist Chris Waugh.
The Magpies began the search for Rafael Benitez’s successor on Monday, after it was announced that the Spaniard was unable to reach an agreement with the club’s hierarchy over an extension to his contract.
Head coach roles involve managers giving up some control over who the club signs, with the board and recruitment department often also handed responsibility over bringing in players.
The likes of Porto’s Sergio Conceicao [Daily Mail] and former Feyenoord boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst [Newcastle Chronicle] have been linked to the St James Park role, and Waugh claims that these would be suited having worked in head coach environments before.
OPINION
This is an interesting claim from Waugh and one which should excite Newcastle fans. The fact is, it is going to be hard for anyone who comes in and replaces Benitez to get a real grip on transfers, because at the very least, owner Mike Ashley is going to give the successful applicant a small budget to work with. Therefore, if the club opts for a head coach system of management, then it would surely be imperative to get someone in who can work well in such an environment. And, based on Waugh’s latest claim, the Magpies will not be short of options. If Newcastle do opt for a head coach system, fans should surely – based on this claim – be quite relieved, because it sounds like those that have been linked would do a decent job working as a head coach. And for next season, which is now set up to be one of the most important in the club’s history, bringing someone in who can stabilise the club is surely a top priority.
