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Paul Baker gets new role at Newcastle United – Reports

7 years ago
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Paul Baker has been appointed to a new role at Newcastle United according to reports on Monday afternoon.

Formerly working at the Newcastle Academy for a time after leaving his job as Blyth Spartans Manager over 10 years ago, the Chronicle now report that Baker will now scout for NUFC on the Continent.

As a player, Paul Baker signed his first professional contract with Southampton but never played for the first team, though he did go on to have an excellent career in lower league football at a host of clubs.

The now retired striker scored over 170 goals turning out for Hartlepool, Carlisle and York amongst others.

In 2008 Paul Baker was appointed to a scouting role at Norwich City, who at the time were managed by former Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder. At the time Paul Baker’s brother in law, Lee Clark, was Roeder’s assistant at the Canaries.

The Chronicle say that they understand Paul Baker will work under NUFC’s Head of Recruitment Steve NicksonĀ and will be tasked with helping to try to find promising players in Europe who are between the ages of 17 and 21.

The scouting picture at Newcastle United isn’t the most transparent and the role of Graham Carr now never seems to rate a mention.

Mike Ashley handed Carr an astonishing eight year contract in 2012, which would see him end it aged 75 if still at Newcastle in 2020. However, after seeming to play the key role in deciding on transfers and being a board member alongside Bob Moncur, Steve McClaren and Lee Charnley, since Rafa came to rescue us – Head Scout Graham Carr is rarely spoken of or sighted at matches.

Steve Nickson appears to concentrate specifically on identifying young players and has been credited with the arrival at the club of players such as Ayoze Perez, Rolando Aarons and Kevin Mbabu.

Who Rafa Benitez most relies on the most for identifying senior players to bring to Newcastle United is anybody’s guess.

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