NEW Newcastle United manager Graeme Souness could attempt to achieve what Sven-Goran Eriksson has failed - succeeding in persuading Alan Shearer to carry on playing football.

Calls for Shearer to come out of international retirement and have one final swansong resurfaced prior to the European Championships in the summer.

But the Newcastle captain rejected all overtures in favour of concentrating on ensuring he was in the best possible shape for his final year at St James' Park - ahead of bringing the curtain down on his illustrious career next May.

Now, after being unveiled on Tyneside yesterday, it could be Souness' turn to try his luck.

The Scotsman believes there is plenty of time before a decision has to be made but he insists another goal-laden campaign from Shearer will lead to more calls for a rethink on the legendary striker's future.

The 34-year-old grabbed his second goal of the season against Blackburn on Saturday and Souness has challenged his skipper to hit 20 - meaning it would be impossible to leave him out of his starting line-up.

Patrick Kluivert, Shola Ameobi and Craig Bellamy are battling with Shearer to claim the front two positions in the Newcastle side.

But Souness insists the former England striker is his preferred striker, suggesting there could even be a place for him in the Newcastle squad next season.

"If he scores 20 goals this year, I'll be plaguing him not to retire," said Souness.

"If he scores 15 goals this year, I'll be plaguing him not to. Fifteen goals in the Premier League - go and ask any manager today if they would take a striker who could do that for them and they would bite your hand off.

"Even if he scores a dozen goals - I'm lowering the bar now - but everyone's entitled to change their minds and he's no different (about retirement). We have not discussed it yet."

Souness has inherited a squad with massive potential. With the majority of players at his disposal under the age of 26.

But the occasional indiscipline of many of those has led to them being labelled as the 'brat-pack' or the 'wild bunch' and that is something the new boss is aiming to clamp down.

However, Souness is adamant that every one of the Newcastle squad will be given a chance under the new regime - including Kieron Dyer.

Dyer had a major fall out with Sir Bobby Robson over the position he was asked to play and was subsequently targeted by the angry Geordie crowd.

But Souness said: "I'll sit down with him and he has to understand how I work. The slate is completely clean. What's gone has gone.

"Who, at 22-24, doesn't make a mistake? Who then doesn't need education? Who doesn't need an arm around them? We've all been there.

"The slate's clean for Kieron Dyer and all the rest of them. He's learned something in the last couple of weeks I'm sure.

"If you asked him, I'd bet he'd do things differently. That's the experience of life. You learn from your mistakes, and if you keep making them, you're a dope. You won't be playing at this level for long."

And to keep Dyer and the younger generation in check, Souness will be turning to the elder-statesmen in the Newcastle playing staff for assistance.

"I see Alan Shearer as someone invaluable to me. When I was 22 and went to Liverpool, I was the finished article in my opinion, I knew all the answers to every question, I knew everything there was to know about football," said the two-time European Cup winner.

"And for the first couple of months, I was bashed up verbally by the senior players. I learned so much from them and when I became a senior player, I like to think I passed the same information down the line.

"I might work with them for 15 hours a week, so there's a big part when they're not going to be under my influence.

"The senior pros, whether it's golf, shopping, buying a suit or a car, going out for dinner with their wives, they have a big part to play.

"That's what I'll be asking Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Patrick Kluivert - who I know is only new on the scene - Robbie Elliott, to do.

"We must respect each other, we must respect this football club and if we do that, we'll be fine."

And Souness, having turned his back on Blackburn to take over at Newcastle, insists his priority this season is to make sure his new club finish in the top four.

"I would take Champions League football right now," said the 51-year-old, whose first game in charge is against Israeli side Hapoel Bnei Sakhnin in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

"Champions League football allows you to go out and buy the best football players, and the best football players allow you to go out and win trophies.

"I believe we've got some top players at this club, players who can only get better. I could not say no to this job.

"Outside of Sir Alex Ferguson and and Arsene Wenger, who's going to say no to this job?"

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