Souness is hoping Magpies’ luck holds

NEWCASTLE boss Graeme Souness admits he is a worried man after seeing his side put together a run of three successive victories and climb into the top half of the table.

The Scot has several of his biggest names finally back from injury and goals are arriving in plentiful supply from his £32m strike-force. However, as he prepared for today's visit of Birmingham to St James' Park, Souness was waiting for the backlash and resisting the temptation to say "I told you so" after promising things would turn.

"Not at all, not at all because this game is a very cruel game," he said. "When you think things are going well, that's the time to start worrying.

"The danger in football is you think you have turned the corner, you think you have cracked it, you think you are playing well and then you soon get kicked where it really hurts if you think like that.

"We have got to forget what has happened in the last two (Premiership) games take confidence from it, but certainly be totally focused for the next game and the next game and the game after that."

It is only a matter of weeks since the knives were out for the Newcastle boss with some commentators suggesting that defeat in the derby clash with Sunderland on October 23 could have signalled the end of his eventful reign.

However, a 3-2 victory that day, followed by the Carling Cup success at Grimsby and last weekend's 3-0 defeat of West Brom have given cause for fresh optimism.

Souness insists the doom and gloom never got to him, and that he never lost faith in his players or himself.

"The pressure started when I signed the contract at this club and it will always be here," he said. "Nothing changes in this job. If you are the manager of a big club, there's always pressure, and there always will be."

Injuries have been a major factor in Newcastle's start to the season, and Souness has been dealt a major blow in the last two days by the news of the medical condition which is likely to sideline midfielder Kieron Dyer for several weeks at least.

Stephen Carr, Lee Bowyer and Albert Luque all remain on the sidelines, but close to returns, but Owen, Emre and Nolberto Solano are all back in business, and the difference is already apparent.

"If you have got your reserve team on the pitch, you are not going to win games," Souness said. "How many times have you heard someone say 'They are not the same team without Wayne Rooney' or 'They are not the same team without Ryan Giggs' or take Arsenal, 'They are not the same team without Henry'?

"There is no magic in football. Football is all about good football players; if they are injured, they cannot contribute and I just wish people would wake up to that fact."