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The sudden uncertainty over Newcastle United’s head coach role has seen coaches with Champions League experience contact the club to offer their services.

After targeting Steve McClaren as their No 1 option, United’s summer plans have suffered a major setback with the Derby boss having been cornered into pledging his future to the East Midlands club.

While McClaren was reticent to commit to the club in the short-term – and fight a three-match survival campaign – he has now gone further and effectively ruled out taking over in the summer too by formulating plans with the Championship club.

And that means that United – who have been brought to the brink of a relegation fight by a calamitous set of decisions since the turn of the year – have to think again about the head coach role. John Carver’s candidacy – he stated he was in “pole position” last week – has been shot to pieces by the run of eight straight defeats.

United insist battling relegation remains the first priority but ex-Real Madrid player and Olympiakos coach Michel Gonzalez has expressed an interest in the role through an intermediary.

Like Rayo Vallecano coach Paco Jemez, whose agent has been in contact with a Premier League club about a possible role next year, he is known to United’s contacts in Spain and has a CV featuring Champions League experience.

The 52-year-old, who played 52 times for Spain, has managed Getafe, Sevilla and latterly Olympiakos – but he would be an outside candidate if Newcastle decide to go for a foreign boss. It is also understood that Claudio Ranieri, who left his post as manager of Greece last year, would be interested in the Newcastle role – even on a short-term basis, which United ruled out on Monday by backing Carver.

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Behind-the-scenes talks aimed at ironing out the problems in the dressing room – Gary Neville called them probable “divisions” – were led by Papiss Cisse, Jonas Gutierrez and Tim Krul. Jack Colback, who has been one of Newcastle’s best players this season, also spoke of the need to put differences aside and play on while Paul Dummett – who has only been a first team player for two seasons – also emerged as a vocal presence.

United’s managing director Lee Charnley asked Carver three questions – could he handle the criticism, keep the team up and win back the dressing room. The head coach, who did not offer his resignation on Sunday or Monday, answered yes to all three and that satisfied the demands of Charnley, who is also under pressure after admitting to “mistakes” that have pushed Newcastle towards the brink of a relegation fight.

United’s supporters are being asked to back the club on Saturday but there are indications that many are still deeply disenchanted with events at the club.