January Sales - Make Or Break For Souness

By Matthew Jones
December 26 2004

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness will be booted out of the club if his January buy's fail to make an impact at St James' Park. The Magpies' manager has only won one of his last eight games, and SJP faithful are now anxious as to what the Scot can pull off when the transfer window opens.

The 51-year-old has revealed however, that his relationship with chairman Freddy Shepherd is ecxellent.

Souness said: "If I spent £50-60million and we weren't any better off, it is obvious to everybody where I would be going ... back to gardening. And I'm a very good gardener as well.

"The chairman is a man who has been in the football business for long enough to know how it works.

"He is a mad Newcastle United supporter but he is also a very shrewd businessman. Any steps he takes, short term or long term, are for the benefit of the club.

"If he's got rid of managers in the past after a year, he's done it for the football club, not for Freddy Shepherd. It puts him out on a limb. I would love this to be my last job in football but you don't take a job thinking about your exit.

"You take a job because you think you're the right man for it. My aim is to be here for a long time."

Souness added: "I want three new players in during the transfer window.

"We want to improve on what we have got. I have given the chairman the list of who I want.

"He will be negotiating and doing the deals. My relationship with the chairman is excellent. He has been extremely supportive for the three months I have been here.

"The chairman has backed all the previous managers with money. I hope that continues."