Carver wants the hard No 1 not easy No 2 role at Newcastle United

Carver still feels he is in “pole position” to be named the relegation-threatened club’s next permanent head coach – despite a dismal run of results this year.

And the 50-year-old knows he only has to convince TWO people – owner Mike Ashley and managing director Lee Charnley – that he is the right man for the job.

“It’s the election next week,” said Carver. “And the important people that count, they will make their decision.

“They will take everything into consideration.”

Carver, handed the reins until the end of the campaign after Alan Pardew’s mid-season departure, is contracted to United until 2020.

And if he does not get the job – Derby County head coach Steve McClaren is the frontrunner – then he will be expected to dovetail into the new man’s backroom team.

Carver – who has come under increasing fire from fans during his 14th-placed team’s seven-game Premier League losing streak – feels he could easily make the adjustment.

But he insists the only job he wants is the head coach post.

Asked if how easy it would be to return to his former No2 role, Carver said: “Dead easy.

“But I think that would be the easy way out, and I’m not prepared to do that – never done it in my life – and I’m not going to start doing it now.”

Carver was involved in a verbal exchange with two angry fans during last weekend’s home defeat to Swansea City.

And Nigel Pearson, manager of this afternoon’s opponents Leicester City, was forced to apologise to a journalist after labelling him an “ostrich” in a bizarre post-match Press conference after his side’s midweek loss to Chelsea.

Pearson – who had a spell at United as assistant manager during Glenn Roeder’s time in charge – has been involved in several unseemly incidents this season.

Asked if his row with supporters and Pearson’s rant were indicative of the pressures of management, Carver said: “There is huge pressure on every single manager.

“I’m quite surprised the pressure on Nigel, because he has done a fantastic job.

“They have gone from being nowhere, being out of it to giving themselves a fighting chance of staying n the Premier League.

“He has shown a little bit of frustration losing to the champions when they did extremely well for 45 minutes. It has all just come to a head.

“The pressure in this position is massive. Let me tell you, the top-six clubs you have pressure, and after that, this club is on a par in terms of pressure.”

Carver, however, is not put off by the demands of the job.

“When you set off on the (coaching) ladder, you say to yourself ‘who do you want to be and where do you want to go?’.

“You set targets all the time, and I always said I want to be manager of this football club because of what it means to me.

“So when you get that opportunity, you have got to try to take it.

“By hook or by crook, I want this, and I want to make a go of it. I hear people say I might end up stir crazy, but I’m not bothered. I want to have a go.”