Securing hand position

[History]

How would you secure your position as a newly appointed hand knowing you  face oposition from the lannister and other unknown persons as well as increasing corruption and debt and very few or any people you can trust.

[Darth Sidious]

There was nothing Ned could do except pray for a better king.  Robert was barely dead and his bros. were already fighting for the throne.  Jaime and Cersei had kids to protect.  Cersei hungered for more power.  Eldest daughter Sansa was so in love with Joffrey and she was willling to betray her family to stay near her ticket to the big stage.  Bastard son Jon won't ever keep his vows to the watch and it's only a matter of time before Ned will have to take his head.  Varys is still Varys.  Littlefinger was already plotting to pull down the Starks and the Tullys.  King Viserys III is owed an invasion by the Dothraki and they will pay him back with Westeros.  The Iron Bank wants its money.  Theon and the Greyjoys want to rebel.  The Martells are still pissed off and they want to take down the Baratheons.  To be honest, Ned was a walking dead man and the Baratheon monarchy was doomed.

[aryagonnakill#2]

Without any benefit of hindsight or more intelligence/ruthlessness than Ned, I don't think it is at all unreasonable to say he could have put his own men in charge of the City Watch.

I also think that the fact that he got the letter from Lysa before Robert arrived, would have been more than enough foresight to betroth Sansa and Arya to someone, anyone, and instead betroth Robb to Myrcella, giving him the hostage, not the other way around. 

[The Commentator]

On 7/10/2018 at 1:00 PM, History said:

How would you secure your position as a newly appointed hand knowing you  face oposition from the lannister and other unknown persons as well as increasing corruption and debt and very few or any people you can trust.

He could reject the offer and stay in the north.