Exclusive:From Serbia to Sopot: Scotland's lost lieutenant still cheering World Cup heroes on from afar

The former assistant manager returned home on crutches from Belgrade in 2020 after tearing his calf in the elated aftermath of David Marshall’s decisive penalty save from Aleksander Mitrovic.

Imagine what he’d have been like on the night of 18 November against Denmark as the goals flew in via overhead kicks and lobs from the halfway line. A coronary waiting to happen, that’s what. As it turned out, he posed a risk only to himself while crashing around his apartment in the coastal Polish retreat of Sopot, of all places.

It’s where he was initially based in his new life as manager of Ekstraklasa side Lechia Gdansk. “I still get a tingle thinking about it,” he says. “Because I'm desperate for Scotland. I'm desperate for them to get to the World Cup. I'm desperate.

“Steve’s one of my best mates in football. All those members of staff, all the players that I work closely with, I was desperate for them. And I'm watching the game...I'm kicking, heading, punching and tackling and making every decision in the game.

“I was exhausted when the full-time whistle went,” he continues. “The way it went, the goals, how we did it, it was incredible. I was so proud. I was like... It's hard to put it into words, because I know how hard the people have worked for five years. I know how hard I've worked. I know how much it means to you people. I know how much it means to the Tartan Army and everybody.”

In the end, despite these wild solo celebrations, he suffered nothing more debilitating than a bout of FOMO – fear of missing out. He described the realisation he won’t be directly involved this summer as something akin to grief. It appears there was some discussion about Carver re-joining Scotland to supplement Clarke’s backroom staff in the event of qualification. Few would baulk at this. Carver is a likeable, knowledgeable ball of energy and was dubbed Scotland’s greatest-living-Englishman for his role in past qualification successes.

“At the time I was leaving we had a little conversation…I can’t really go into details,” he says. “You know what it’s like…you sit back and look at the situation. These are the guys who got us through the campaign. They’ve got to get on with it.”

Carver’s verdict on Barnes

A wise person once asserted that if you want to know what Steve Clarke is thinking, then talk to John Carver. Our conversation is timely in that a report has emerged suggesting the Scotland manager has made another bid to persuade Newcastle United winger Harvey Barnes to throw in his international lot with Scotland ahead of North America. “He has to (try)… he has to,” says Carver. “He must because we want - and have you noticed I keep saying we? - the best players to play for the country and give us the best opportunity to get out of the group stages.

"The way Harvey Barnes is playing, because it was my club and I spent a lot of time watching him, like I did with Elliot Anderson and a lot of others, it's important that we get the best players. What I will say is this. Steve is one of the most loyal people I've ever worked for. When you do well for him, he rewards you. I know you can extend your squad for World Cup campaigns. He will be very loyal to the guys who have got him there. If he sees there's an ace up his sleeve and he can produce that trump card, then I'm sure he'll try and make an effort to try and convince him to come and play in the World Cup.”

If Carver were a betting man, which he says he’s not, would he put money on Barnes lining up for Scotland against Haiti at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts in June? “My heart's saying ‘I hope so’. I really hope so,” he says. “I'd put a bit of money on it if I was a betting man. But there's always a but. You never get inside somebody else's head. So I don't know what Harvey's thinking.

“I don't know whether he thinks he can still get an opportunity for England. I don't know. How old is Harvey now? 27, 28? So you'd be thinking this is his chance to play in a World Cup. That's a box that you would tick on your CV and on your career. Let's see. I hope he does because he's a super player. He's been great for my football club. But even better if he could go and play for Steve’s Scotland in the World Cup.”

Carver's football club is of course Newcastle United. He might be better positioned to assert some pressure on Barnes if he still spent most of his time in the family home in Heddon-on-the-Wall. Instead, he’s continuing to do a stellar job at the upwardly mobile Lechia Gdansk, who followed up last weekend’s 3-1 win at Widzew Lodz with a 1-1 draw against Cracovia. Despite starting the season with a five-point deduction for financial transgressions, they are sitting mid-table in an admittedly tight league.

Carver has been joined on the technical staff by Jordan Tait, the former St Johnstone and Arbroath defender and son of Berwick Rangers legend Eric. Otherwise, it’s a mainly Polish staff although Kevin Blackwell, with whom Carver worked for a spell at Leeds United, is sporting director.

Gdansk reminds him of Newcastle. “The city’s based on shipyards,” he says of a city still associated with Lech Welesa-led trade union strikes of the early 1980s. “There’s the river, restaurants along the riverside. And the wind’s freezing.” The previous night’s temperature dropped to minus 21, he reports. The wind felt chiller still when he heard the news last month that Kevin Keegan was undergoing treatment for cancer.

They last saw each other at a Kris Boyd charity golf day in 2021. “He was one of the guest speakers. It was great to see him. It was as if I'd just left him yesterday, it was great. He was up speaking and told a few stories and obviously brought me into conversation, which was nice."

He remembers Keegan recruiting him as a starstruck young player at Newcastle to assist with some extra work post-training, which said it all about the veteran’s mindset. Very much at the tail-end of his career, he remained desperate to improve his finishing. "I would drive balls up and he'd take them on his chest and it was amazing,” recalls Carver. “We developed this relationship.” Carver was appointed the club's academy director during Keegan's first stint as manager.

“He never forgot the work I did with him," he says. "He brought me in as a coach and gave me my first opportunity in professional football."

There is plenty of love for Keegan in Scotland as well as England. He was even based north of the Border for a while in the early 2000s while setting up an interactive soccer school in Brahead.

“I sent a message to him,” adds Carver. “I'm not expecting a reply because he'll have had millions and millions of messages. I owe him so much. He gave me the opportunity all those years ago. I'm only in the position I'm in because he gave me that opportunity.”

It’s Clarke with whom he’s developed the most enduring relationship. They first met each other at Newcastle in 1999, when Ruud Gullit recruited Clarke as first-team coach. They are similar in age – Clarke, 62, is older by 18 months - and Carver has always supported and, when necessary, defended his pal. “All the different people I've worked for over the years…Sir Bobby (Robson), Kevin, whoever it is, I've not had a social relationship with as well,” he muses. “The only one is Steve.”

In that case, what’s happening post World Cup? They’ve surely spoken about it. “Listen, I know he still loves the game and wants to be part of the game. If it’s Scotland great, if it’s somebody else then I’m sure he will be successful.” Maybe the tables might turn. Could he assist Carver? “No, no….well, he could if he wanted to. But I already have a good assistant!” he smiles. It’s good to hear solidarity remains alive and well in Gdansk.