Who are the leading candidates for the Newcastle head coach job?

STEVE McCLAREN (4-1)

A return to the North-East may beckon for Derby County’s Steve McClaren, a man who once led Middlesbrough to a UEFA Cup final before having his glowing managerial reputation doused in the rain the following year. His interim years have since been a mixed bag, failing at the likes of Wolfsburg and Nottingham Forest after guiding Dutch side FC Twente to their first ever Eredivisie title.

Strengths

First and foremost, the man is a coach. Hand-picked by Sir Alex Ferguson as his own personal side-kick during the treble season, he has been hailed by former Old Trafford legends for his scrupulous coaching methods designed to extract the maximum effort.

While Newcastle supporters may not be enthused by his Teesside past, they will certainly be encouraged by his record in the cup competitions. Having tasted League Cup success with Middlesbrough in 2004, he led the then-Premier League outfit to an historic UEFA Cup final in 2006.

Weaknesses

While he may be steadily rebuilding his reputation in the Championship, McClaren’s managerial history reads like too much of a mixed bag for top-flight clubs to take a realistic gamble on him. The former England boss has also been known to quit when the going gets tough, having handed in early resignations at Nottingham Forest and FC Twente.

His style of football may not endear him to the Tyneside faithful, with sections of the Middlesbrough support having lamented his negative tactics towards the end of his last stint in the North-East.

REMI GARDE (4-1)

A name that seems to be perennially linked with the St. James’ Park hot seat is former Lyon boss Remi Garde. With Lyon having failed to add to their seven league titles since 2008, Garde was charged with a difficult task when appointed manager in 2011 and duly delivered two domestic cups during his three seasons at the helm.

Strengths

A former director of the Centre Tola Vologe - a youth training centre that has produced the likes of Karim Benzema, Hatem Ben Arfa and Loic Remy - Garde is renowned for having an eye for talent. Before assuming the reigns of control at Lyon in 2011, he had been linked with a return to Arsenal in a director of football role. However, with Mike Ashley adamant that the head coach will have no involvement in transfer dealings, the Frenchman’s strengths would possibly be wasted on Tyneside.

Weaknesses

Garde cited personal reasons for his exit from Lyon last summer, citing that he ‘didn’t feel enough energy to go on’. There have been a plethora of managers who have failed to withstand the pressure at St. James’ Park for similar reasons, so whether Garde feels up to the task is a question only he can answer.

TIM SHERWOOD (11-2)

Despite having received the boot from White Hart Lane just six months into his first managerial role, Tim Sherwood has been linked with numerous vacancies in recent months. Having been overlooked for the recent post at West Brom, the former Blackburn Rovers midfielder has been tipped for another head coach position at St. James’ Park.

Strengths

Most will remember Sherwood for his honest interviews last season, including one where he accused his lethargic Tottenham side of a ‘lack of character’ following a 4-0 mauling at Stamford Bridge.

A win ratio of 50 per cent wasn’t enough to spare him from the sack but it did change a few opinions of those who predicted his stint to be disastrous.

Weaknesses

Former Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has recently lambasted his successor, stating that his coaching methods were ‘detrimental to the club’. The Portuguese boss intimated that Sherwood’s brash and abrasive nature ‘resulted in an extreme split between the players and the coach’. Key players in the form of Jan Vertonghen and Sandro were ostracised, and his stubborn reluctance to include club-record signing Erik Lamela caused friction between him and the board.

GLENN HODDLE (15-2)

A man who hasn’t managed a side since a botched Championship job at Wolves in 2006, Glenn Hoddle has somehow found himself linked with the St. James’ Park vacancy in recent days. The former Tottenham midfielder is currently a first-team coach at QPR.

Strengths

Having both represented and managed his country, Hoddle certainly knows the game and his insight could prove invaluable. As a manager, he has led both Chelsea and Tottenham to cup finals.

Weaknesses

While the former England international may have been an accomplished footballer during his two decades as a player, he has failed to replicate his stardom on the managerial front. Having been dismissed from the England job in 1999 for expressing controversial opinions, he spent a year at Southampton before being sacked by both Tottenham and Wolves in the space of three years.

JOHN CARVER (9-1)

Having first been appointed assistant manager to Sir Bobby Robson in 1999, Tyneside-born John Carver is desperately hoping to fulfil his ambition of assuming the role of head coach on a full-time basis 15 years later. Having stepped in as caretaker boss in the wake of Alan Pardew’s shock move to Crystal Palace last week, Carver has overseen a disappointing 3-3 home draw with Burnley and yet another demoralising third-round FA Cup exit.

Strengths

While some Newcastle supporters were said to be disillusioned with Pardew’s aloofness during the derbies, there will be no doubting Carver’s passion for the not just the club, but the city as a whole. Having felt a discord with Pardew’s southern roots, local-born Carver is certainly a popular figure on Tyneside and is the last remnant of the successful Robson era.

Weaknesses

While Carver has spent the last 15 years as an assistant manager, his managerial role with MLS side Toronto FC during the 08/09 season remains the only one. His record as caretaker, and while standing in for Pardew last season, is poor.

ALLY MCCOIST (14-1)

Having recently handed in his resignation letter at financially-stricken Rangers, Ally McCoist has found himself linked with a return to the North-East in recent days. With Mike Ashley having bought into the troubled Scottish club, links between the sides have inevitably begun to gather pace. Having spent 15 years at Ibrox during his playing days, most forget that he spent two seasons with Sunderland.

Strengths

McCoist has managed to show striking resilience in the face of adversity, with Rangers having had to face the darkest period in their history due to financial woes. He has already led the Scottish side to successive league titles following a demotion to the fourth tier.

With each head coach at Newcastle forced to struggle with the financial constraints imposed by Ashley’s regime, McCoist has proven that he can work in tight circumstances.

Weaknesses

McCoist may have performed admirably under intense financial constraints at Rangers, but a step up to the Premier League would surely be too big a jump. The vastly inexperienced Scotsman would not be a popular choice to succeed Pardew, considering the distinct lack of credentials he has at his disposal.

THOMAS TUCHEL (16-1)

Formerly of FSV Mainz 05, unemployed Thomas Tuchel has been linked with the Newcastle job recently. Having began his coaching career with the German side in 2009, he set about sculpting and honing his squad, culminating in a Europa League finish during the 13/14 season. Having rejected overtures from the likes of Schalke and Bayer Leverkusen during his time at Mainz, he finally left his post in May 2014 despite the club’s reluctance to let him go.

Strengths

Tuchel’s dependance on utilising the entire squad is certainly a trademark of his, having used up all of his available substitutes in nearly every match during his first seasons at Mainz. It was his motivational skills that allowed him to manage unrest during his squad rotation.

His 4-3-1-2 formation allowed his Mainz side to control the centre of the pitch, and demanded that his side press and harry the opposition once they lost the ball. Defensive organisation was also a cornerstone of the side’s success under the German.

Weaknesses

At Mainz, Tuchel had nearly full autonomy to run the entire team from top to bottom. Were he to be offered the role of head coach on Tyneside, the scenario would be vastly different and it is hard to know whether he could perform as well with one hand tied behind his back.

CHRSITOPHE GALTIER (25-1)

No stranger to Newcastle supporters, the St Etienne boss has repeatedly been linked with a move to Tyneside in recent seasons. A mainstay in his role at St Etienne since 2009, Galtier has impressed with a series of consistent finishes in Ligue 1. Under his tutelage, the French side have finished 17th, 10th, 7th, 5th and 4th. Currently occupying fourth spot, the former Marseille boss has ambitions to go one better and achieve qualification for the Champions League.

Strengths

With Ashley in the market for an up-and-coming head coach, Galtier ticks that box having occupied that position at St. Etienne for almost six years. Under his tutelage, he has helped develop the talents of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Kurt Zouma. His attractive style of play would be welcomed on Tyneside, whilst they are also organised in defence and can also score from a set-piece.

Weaknesses

As with every head coach who has never worked in the Premier League before, there are always the question marks about whether he would be able to deliver in England. While his style of football is undoubtedly suited to obtaining results in France, it remains to be seen whether he can translate that onto the Premier League stage.

EDDIE HOWE (25-1)

With Bournemouth flying high at the top of the Championship, having already notched over 70 goals in all competitions so far this term, Eddie Howe is earning the plaudits for the Cherries’ stellar performances. Having rejoined the club in October 2012 with the club languishing in League One, he subsequently guided the club to promotion at the first time of asking and is now looking a sure bet for promotion to the top-flight.

Strengths

Howe’s strengths lie in his willingness to play an expansive brand of free-flowing football. With Bournemouth having scored over 70 goals already this campaign, Howe’s philosophy is built on quick, incisive passing capped off with clinical finishing.

He was once the youngest manager in the Football League, having been appointed by Bournemouth in January 2009, indicating that he does not wilt under pressure.

Weaknesses

Many coaches have excelled in the Football League but have fallen by the wayside in the top-flight, and it remains to be seen if Howe belongs to that list. His inexperience may count against him when handed a job in the Premier League, with Newcastle supporters perhaps demanding a bigger name.

AITOR KARANKA (25-1)

A switch that would cause consternation on Teesside, Aitor Karanka has recently quelled speculation linking him with the St. James’ Park hot seat by insisting he is "120 per cent committed" to Middlesbrough. The former Real Madrid assistant manager has performed admirably at the Riverside Stadium since replacing Tony Mowbray in November 2013.

Strengths

The Spaniard has been adept in the transfer market thus far, luring the likes of Patrick Bamford, Kenneth Omeruo and Emilio Nsue to the club. He has given a new lease of life to a side that been stagnating in recent seasons, and who had finished 16th prior to his arrival in 2013.

His close friendship with Jose Mourinho also proves useful when it comes to availing of the Blues’ talented fringe players on loan deals.

Weaknesses

While Karanka has been working well at the Riverside, this is still his first managerial role and he remains largely inexperienced. Prior to this season, Karanka had also been accused of being tactically rigid, with some declaring his 4-3-1-2 formation predictable.