Souness gets nod to take on tough Toon test
United chairman Freddy Shepherd sprang a surprise yesterday when he appointed the 51-year-old Scot as Bobby Robson's replacement after it emerged Souness had quit his post at Blackburn.
The former Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Rangers midfielder, who won trophies with the Anfield and Ibrox clubs as well as Rovers, will take charge next week and is relishing the prospect.
"I'm ready for a big challenge and they don't come much bigger than this," he said.
Souness, who was linked with a move to take United skipper Alan Shearer back to Ewood Park last month, admitted the decision to leave Blackburn, and particularly chief executive John Williams, was a tough one.
"It was not easy," he said. "I've had a great time working with great people. John has been loyal and supportive."
Souness' appointment was confirmed by Newcastle after a week of speculation which had seen his name appear only fleetingly along with more fancied candidates such as Steve Bruce, Terry Venables, David O'Leary and Sam Allardyce.
He will spend the next week on leave, with United due to tackle his former club at St James' Park on Saturday, and will lead the Magpies for the first time when they welcome Israeli outfit BNEI Sakhnin to Tyneside for the first leg of their UEFA Cup first round tie on Thursday, September 16.
Souness may be a shock recruit, but former Newcastle and Republic of Ireland defender John Anderson believes he could be the man to gain control of a volatile dressing room as United try to recover from a poor start to the season which has seen them collect just two points from 12.
"It came out of the blue, there's no doubt about that," said Anderson.
"I got the papers yesterday and it was all Steve Bruce and David O'Leary, Souness didn't get a mention.
"But I think it's a good appointment. He'll bring discipline back to the dressing room because from the outside looking in, it looks like that's been lacking in recent times, with players speaking out of turn and saying too much and refusing to play.
"I don't think they'll get away with that with Souness. He's a disciplinarian he was like that even as a player. He'll tell the players in no uncertain terms what he expects and how he expects them to behave and he's not bothered about going public.
"Reputations mean nothing to him. Whether you're one of the juniors or the top dog in the first team, he'll still speak to you in exactly the same way, and if you need a dressing down, he'll do it."
Mark Jensen, editor of United fanzine the Mag, was more guarded.
"I'm relieved we've got somebody," he said. "Shearer was always my first choice, or Shearer maybe working with somebody in the short-term before taking over full-time. I don't think there was a great bunch to choose from.
"Graeme Souness is no better or worse than some of the other contenders, whether it was Venables, O'Leary or Bruce. When you get rid of a manager mid-season, you don't necessarily have the best list of contenders to choose from.
"His reputation as a hardman must be one of the attractions to the board and we've had very public instances of players in dispute with the manager.
"If Souness can get a hold of all the players and get the best out of them, he'll get the backing of everybody at Newcastle United.
"Whether he can ever win something with Newcastle remains to be seen."
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