JOHN CARVER has had the responsibility before, but never for this long – and he wants it to last longer, much longer. The role as caretaker manager now has the snazzier title of interim head coach at Newcastle United and he could not be happier.

He might have been reluctant to move straight into Alan Pardew’s manager’s chair for the first few weeks following the latter’s move to Crystal Palace. Carver is, though, comfortable now.

Carver has waited for his big chance. Ten years after he took charge of Newcastle when Sir Bobby Robson was sacked, this time he he has the reins for longer.

The Geordie-born former assistant manager, whose only previous frontline managerial post was with Toronto, has a spring in his step, a smile on his face and a hunger to prove he can handle one of the toughest jobs in English football.

While talk will continue about Pardew’s long-term successor, Carver's contract keeps him in the position until the end of the season and he thinks he can show that he can do the job beyond that.

He will be a proud man when he leads the team at Hull City this afternoon. It will feel differently to the previous four matches – none of which have heralded a victory – because he knows the uncertainty of how long he will be doing it for is not hanging over him.

“It was relief first because yes, I was a little bit frustrated and you could tell,” said Carver. “But when Lee Charnley actually said it to me, the relief was ‘thank goodness because now the players can really get focused’. No matter how good the people are around you, you can still be a little bit distracted by the fact that it is not a permanent appointment.

“The first initial thought was relief; then the ecstasy and the pride and the happiness took over. It’s very difficult to sometimes put things in to words. I am a local lad, I have come through the system, I have worked at every level, I have been out of the country and I have come back in.

“There was an opportunity, and it is now up to me to take that opportunity. The one thing I will say is that I will give this every single ounce of my energy that I have got. Come the end of the season if it doesn’t come off, at least I’ll be able to sit here and say ‘I gave it my best shot, I had a go’. That is the downside of it, but the upside of it is, I have got an opportunity here that millions of people would love to have.”

Carver was first told by managing director Lee Charnley that he was staying in the position on Friday last week. He went to Edinburgh the following day for a weekend with the family and privately celebrated with those around him.

When he returned to work at the start of this week, and the official announcement was made, he knew it was serious.

Carver said: “I’m manager - 100 per cent. Well, head coach - 100 per cent! I’ll tell you why, because I parked in the head coach’s parking spot and I’m in the manager’s office. I’ve actually been in the office, more or less from the start of this process but I never sat in the manager’s seat. I kept out of it on purpose. But once it became official, I plonked myself straight on it.

“I’ll give you an example. Simon Smith, who I worked with years ago, came to see me and he walked in as I was sitting in the seat; as he walked in he said ‘that would be a wonderful picture.’

“There was me with a picture of Sir Bobby on the right hand side, and you know he is with me all the time. It’s such a nice feeling - it is hard to explain, to put into words.

“Every morning when I walk in I’m excited. The day I am not or I have no enthusiasm, I’ll forget about it. Let me tell you, I can’t wait to get up. I am awake at 5am and don’t get until 7. But when I am here, it’s non-stop. I enjoy that. I love all that.”

Carver has still not spoken to club owner Mike Ashley, but that does not concern the new boss because he has had “more conversations with Lee Charnley than with any of my family”. He is more than satisfied with the set up too, with little input into anything other than team affairs.

This afternoon he will come up against another Geordie in Steve Bruce. Carver admits Hull’s former Sunderland boss would have loved the chance to take charge at St James’ Park.

“I have had a few bottles of red wine with Steve,” said Carver. “He’s quite a nice social animal. Steve is a great guy, a top guy. He played at Wallsend Boys Club and is a local lad.

“This would have been his dream job, wouldn’t it? But he is so professional and he wanted to stay with Hull when I know he was linked with this situation.

“His wife is from up here, they are lovely people, and his son (Alex) is playing there at the moment. He loves the area and the unfortunate thing is that he managed Sunderland!”