‘Newcastle United will stick with Carver next season’

NEWCASTLE United owner Mike Ashley WILL stick with John Carver next season, according to Tony Pulis.
Newcastle United manager, John Carver shouts during the Barclays Premier League match at St James' Park, Newcastle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 9, 2015. See PA story SOCCER Newcastle. Photo credit should read: Richard Sellers/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. Maximum 45 images during a match. No video emulation or promotion as 'live'. No use in games, competitions, merchandise, betting or single club/player services. No use with unofficial audio, video, data, fixtures or club/league logos.Newcastle United manager, John Carver shouts during the Barclays Premier League match at St James' Park, Newcastle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 9, 2015. See PA story SOCCER Newcastle. Photo credit should read: Richard Sellers/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. Maximum 45 images during a match. No video emulation or promotion as 'live'. No use in games, competitions, merchandise, betting or single club/player services. No use with unofficial audio, video, data, fixtures or club/league logos.
Newcastle United manager, John Carver shouts during the Barclays Premier League match at St James' Park, Newcastle. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday May 9, 2015. See PA story SOCCER Newcastle. Photo credit should read: Richard Sellers/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. Maximum 45 images during a match. No video emulation or promotion as 'live'. No use in games, competitions, merchandise, betting or single club/player services. No use with unofficial audio, video, data, fixtures or club/league logos.

Carver’s side ended an eight-game losing run on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Pulis’s West Bromwich Albion.

But the club is still in danger of being relegated from the Premier League with two games left to play.

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Newcastle are two points above third-from-bottom Hull City ahead of Saturday’s game against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.

Many fans feel Carver is largely culpable for the club’s plight – despite a run of injuries and suspensions.

But West Brom manager Pulis, previously linked with the United job, feels that owner Ashley is minded to appoint Carver as the club’s head coach on a full-time basis in the summer.

“I don’t think there’ll be any change at this football club,” said Pulis.

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“I think Mike Ashley is very loyal to the people he appoints, and although I don’t know the politics around the place, the one thing he has done is to stick with his managers.”

Asked if he wouldn’t be surprised to see Carver in charge of Newcastle next season, Pulis added: “Ask John, he’d have a better idea than me, because he’ll have spoken to Mike Ashley.”

Pulis has guided West Brom to safety since replacing Alan Irvine at The Hawthorns midway through the season.

And he has paid tribute to the “spirited” managers, including Carver, battling to keep their teams up.

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“The great thing about this league, and most of the teams that are down there, (is that) there’s a lot of British managers fighting down there, and those managers have got great spirit,” said Pulis.

“You look at what Nigel (Pearson) is doing, what Steve (Bruce) is still doing, Chris (Ramsey) at QPR – British managers.

“They are really good, strong characters. John’s the same here. He’s got good character, and he knows that sometimes you’ve got to roll your sleeves up.”

United forward Ayoze Perez cancelled out Victor Anichebe’s opening goal before the break to claim a point for Carver’s side.

Pulis said: “Yes, Newcastle are up for the fight and the crowd were up for them they kept with them, and I’m just delighted my players turned up and put a lot of effort into the game.”