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NAME: John Carver
POSITION: Head Coach
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A former player with Newcastle United and Cardiff City, and a former coach with Newcastle, Leeds United and Luton Town, John Carver brings a wealth of knowledge about the game of soccer to Toronto. In his playing days, Carver tool the field with names like Kevin Keegan and Peter Beardsley, and later in life, he has helped coach names like England internationals Michael Owen and Alan Shearer as well as Kieron Dyer and Patrick Kluivert. He has worked alongside some of the world’s top class managers in Sir Bobby Robson, Kenny Dalglish and Ruud Gullit. Carver was introduced to the Toronto media on February 1, 2008.
Carver started his coaching career at one of England’s most historic clubs, Newcastle United, of the English Premiership. In 1991 he was hired as their Centre of Excellence Director. From there he went on to become Youth Team Coach, and then First Team Coach before getting the Assistant Manager role in 2001 where he worked with the legendary Sir Bobby Robson. His time at Newcastle also saw him take part in a variety of top class competitions. Newcastle reached the F.A. Cup Final in 1999, losing 2-0 to Manchester United in a match played at the old Wembley stadium. In 2002, Newcastle qualified for the Champions League, and in 2004 made it to the UEFA Cup Semi Final losing to French side Marseille.
Following the firing of Robson in September 2004, Carver was given the interim role of caretaker manger for one game before the club hired Graeme Souness as manager. Carver then took over as Academy Director before leaving the club in 2005. After leaving Newcastle, he was appointed coach of Leeds United taking over from the departed Adrian Boothroyd, and was promoted to assistant manager in July 2006. In September of that year he was named caretaker manager after Kevin Blackwell was fired and held that position through October 2006. Carver was reunited with Blackwell at Luton Town in 2007.
