GRAEME SOUNESS has admitted there will be occasions when Newcastle United captain Alan Shearer has to take time out of the firing line and sit on the sidelines.

Shearer publicly stated his displeasure at being omitted from ex-boss Sir Bobby Robson's starting line-up.

But with Shola Ameobi, Patrick Kluivert and Craig Bellamy all vying for the front two positions Robson still took the step to give his skipper a break.

Souness, installed as the 71-year-old's successor at St James' Park on Monday, insists whoever is doing the business in front of goal will retain his place in the starting line-up.

But the former Blackburn Rovers manager did reveal that Shearer, just like the other three forwards, will have to sit on the bench from time to time to recharge his batteries if nothing else.

"If we have runs in the UEFA Cup and the other cups then players are going to need to be rested. In principle that's how I work," said Souness, who signed a two-year deal on Tyneside with a 12-month rolling contract thereafter.

"If you are a manager you enjoy selecting the team rather than seeing it picking itself. It's going to be difficult.

"Four strikers are not going to be fit and available every week and there are has to be an incentive to those not in the team to do their utmost to stay in the team."

Souness, a former championship winner at Liverpool, told the story of the battle for a place in the famous Anfield side in the 70s to make his point.

"As a player I won the European Cup a couple of times and I captained Scotland.

"I remember going to Liverpool and getting changed for the first time.

"I was tying my right boot and on my right there were internationals and on my left there were players who had just come back from playing for their country," said Souness.

"Now the greatest motivation for me was to sit on the bench for a couple of weeks and that acted as the greatest motivation for the other players.

"If a player goes in and plays well then he will hold on to his shirt. In my opinion there can't be another way to work.

"If a player goes in and does well then loses his place that's not very good motivation for him."