John Carver crosses Hadrian's Wall and explains how Scotland 'has changed me a little bit'

A native of Newcastle, Carver’s coaching exploits have taken him to St James’ Park, Canada, Cyprus and the Black Country – but his stint as Scotland assistant coach to Steve Clarke has been the longest continuous one of his career. The 59-year-old is in with the Hampden bricks now, a popular member of a back-room team that is preparing for its second major tournament. In less than two weeks’ time, Carver will be standing on the touchline in Munich for the opening match of Euro 2024 as Scotland take on hosts Germany. He has been good for Scotland, but Scotland has also been good for him.

“I regard myself as a Scotsman, if I am being honest,” admits Carver in his Geordie accent. “It is coming up for four years since I first came here, and it was a little bit tricky. I was going to games and people weren’t quite sure about me. But all of a sudden because of the relative success that we have had, qualifying for the Euros, winning the Nations League and qualifying for a second Euros, I think people have understood that I am in it.”

A fair question of Carver, given he is from England and the rivalry that exists between the two countries, is whether some fans questioned his commitment? “No, no – definitely not commitment,” he replies. “Just the fact that I was English. And I didn't realise what was going on between the two countries. It's a bit like Newcastle-Sunderland. For me back down there, there's a rivalry and I get it. Like I say, I didn't understand it and people used to give me their opinion on both sides and I'd digest it and think ‘okay’! But nobody's ever, ever doubted my commitment, that's for sure. I'm 100 per cent committed. This started off as a job – but it's changed me a little bit.”

Carver can see Scotland from his home, a stone’s throw away from Hadrian’s Wall. Perhaps it was always meant to be that he would be lured across the border. “I actually live on Heddon-on-the-Wall so I get all the walkers every day coming past,” he smiles. “I get lots of Scottish walkers because it is on the trail and if I am in the garden they stop and speak to me. Which is quite nice.”

A replacement coach for Alex Dyer in August 2020, Carver did not envisage his spell with the Scotland national team being like this. His career has not quite been nomadic, but he usually only stays a couple of years in post. “I had the chance to go with Gary Speed with Wales but I was at Sheffield United with him at the time and it was only a part-time role,” Carver explains of his only dalliance with international football back in 2014 prior to joining Scotland. “And then the job came up at Newcastle, so that was the closest I got to international football. Doing this job, it's not rounded off my career and what I want to do because I still feel I've got plenty to offer, but it's something I do enjoy and I love it. It has been totally different. The hardest thing is going from nothing for weeks and months on end, to coming in. It's great because we've hopefully got five, six weeks and I love it. If we get a day off, I don't even want to go home. I want to stay up here.”

Carver is spurred on by what happened three years ago in the delayed Euro 2020 finals. Scotland, with Hampden being one of the host stadia, were in a group with England, Croatia and Czech Republic. The only point came against the English at Wembley, with Scotland finishing bottom of the group.

“From a personal point of view it has been the main driver for me because I was so disappointed and I’m sure the players feel that from within themselves,” says Carver. “Getting the feeling around the players, we all felt like we had let ourselves down and we want to make sure we don’t do that again. We’ve got to give ourselves the best opportunity.

“Even if you look at our preparations we have two weeks plus two games, where we didn’t really have that. And normally in international football you don’t get that. We come in on a Sunday or a Monday and we are playing on the Thursday, so you have two or three days. At least we have preparation time and we need to do the work that’s right.

“But we also need to do the maintenance on the guys who have had a long, hard season. I’ll use John McGinn as an example. I think he has played 58 games plus friendlies plus the extra time you play in games now. It’s very important that we get them in the right place and that the preparation is not just for the first game but also for the second and the third games and hopefully more after that. We have to make sure we peak at the right time.”

Carver believes everyone within the Scotland camp is now ready for what lies ahead this month. They are a more mature group. “I didn't know what to expect being at the tournament,” he adds. “I do now – I know what's coming. So I'll deal with it probably in a better way and it won't affect me emotionally. It was really emotional being involved. You can imagine, I'm going to Wembley as an Englishman and we're playing against England, but I'm Scottish. The Flower of Scotland is playing and God Save The Queen is playing, it was a really strange feeling. It's not now, it's Flower of Scotland for sure, but it was strange, something I've never experienced before, but until you are in that position in the technical area, you don't quite get it. But I did, and it was weird. I know what to expect now – and most of the players do too."

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