FORMER NEWCASTLE MIDFIELDER Temuri Ketsbaia has declared his interest in taking over at St James’ Park after Alan Pardew left for Crystal Palace.
Steve McClaren, Remi Garde and current caretaker John Carver are believed to be the front-runners at the moment.
Ketsbaia, who played for Newcastle in the 1990s, has coached Anorthosis Famagusta in the Champions League, as well as enjoying stints in charge of Olympiacos and Georgia.
The 46-year-old believes that is a good enough CV to take over at St James’ Park and insists he would have no problem with having a minimal say over the club’s transfer policy.
Ketsbaia did not win a trophy during his four-year stint with Newcastle, finishing his time in 2000 with 78 league appearances and eight goals. He’s remembered mostly for his goal celebration where he assaulted McDonald’s and Adidas advertising hoardings in a fit of rage.
“Newcastle is a big, big club with fantastic supporters that should always want to do better,” Ketsbaia told The Sunday Sun.
“It is a club that is very close to my heart and I loved my time there. My four years were the best experience ever. I would love to go back, and I think it is a club that can be near the top of the Premier League and challenging. It is a club that can challenge, for cups and for Europe.
“It deserves to do well. Whoever gets that job, it is a brilliant opportunity. I would think that there will be many managers who want it.”
While the Newcastle hierarchy’s heavy involvement in recruiting reportedly frustrated Pardew, Ketsbaia maintains he would be happy taking on a more coaching-specific role, with the club claiming ther search for a head coach had already begun when announcing Pardew’s departure.
“I don’t think any manager has 100 per cent control any more. The game isn’t like that,” he added.
“I don’t think it’s a big problem. There are good players at Newcastle, so if that is the policy it is OK. As long as everyone at the club is working hard and trying to do well it is OK.”
Ketsbaia left Georgia in November due to frustrations with the country’s football federation and expressed a desire to work in club football again.
