THE clock had barely stopped striking ten when Graeme Souness took his seat at St James' Park.

Punctuality is not something football managers are renowned for but, in his first official gesture as Newcastle United boss, the tone of his regime had been set.

On time and on message, Souness set about unveiling his blueprint for success at a club that has repeatedly threatened to implode in the opening month of the season.

Insisting that he has mellowed in his old age, the Scotsman nevertheless cut an imposing figure as he spelt out his plans for a group of players who have been used to getting things pretty much as they like them over the last couple of years.

Whereas Sir Bobby Robson was everyone's favourite uncle, Souness is more like the brooding cousin that nobody wants to get on the wrong side of.

He's pleasant enough - indeed there were times yesterday when he was positively jovial - but, underneath a friendly exterior, it's easy to see a volcano waiting to explode.

Maybe it's the harsh Scottish twang that harks back to an upbringing in Edinburgh's less salubrious suburbs, or maybe it's the physical presence that had opposition defenders cowering as Liverpool swept all before them in the late 70s and early 80s.

Either way, Dyer, Bellamy and the rest of United's so-called 'Kings of Bling' are in for a rude awakening.

The days of old-fashioned football management might be over but, despite all the developments in psychology, psychiatry and even cycling - you should see what passes for an exercise bike on the training ground these days - there is a lot still to be said for a bit of old-fashioned discipline.

Not that Souness sees his role as a mere enforcer of rules. The 51-year-old has been through much of what the club's younger element are now experiencing, and insists he is ready to impart his knowledge on the latest generation of playboy superstars.

During his time at Middlesbrough, the new Newcastle boss established a reputation as something of a party animal, enjoying the North-East's passion for socialising as well as its passion for football.

The poacher has turned gamekeeper now though, with Souness adamant that he wants to educate rather than berate.

"I was young once and nobody liked a night out more than me," said Souness, who also achieved notoriety in Turkey for the equivalent of planting a Newcastle flag in the middle of the Stadium of Light.

"The North-East is a good place to have a night out and I used to come here to do that.

"I know the pitfalls for the players, but they have to understand that this is a different time to when I played. There's a time for a night out and a time for work and, as long as one doesn't interfere with the other, we'll be fine.

"I don't believe there's a group of monsters in that dressing room who need a big stick.

"I've got sons their age - they need educating like I needed educating. I was 22 when I went to Liverpool and I thought I was the finished article.

"I knew the answers to every question and knew everything there was to know about football.

"After the first couple of months, I was bashed up verbally by the senior players. I learned so much from them and, at any club, you need good senior professionals."

Clearly, the likes of Alan Shearer, Shay Given, Robbie Elliott and Nicky Butt have a major role to play in the Souness masterplan.

Just as Tommy Smith, Ray Clemence, Steve Heighway and John Toshack kept him in check at Anfield, so Souness expects Newcastle's elder statesmen to assume a more prominent role in steering the club's youngsters away from the lure of the bright lights.

"Whether it's golf, shopping, buying a suit or a car or going out for dinner with their wives, the senior professionals have a major role to play with the younger players. That's what I'll be asking them to do.

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

Expecting Dyer and Shearer to swap notes in Fenwicks' menswear department might be a bit far-fetched, but the aim of promoting closer integration between the various sections of the Newcastle dressing room is to be applauded.

Similarly, offering a fatherly shoulder to United's youngsters has got to be better than threatening them with a fine that will have no impact on a £50,000 a week pay packet.

Ultimately, though, there are bound to be times when Souness has to lay down the law.

"There's more than one way to skin a cat," he said, when asked about how would he would handle his new role.

There's also more than one way to manage a footballer and, if first impressions are to be believed, Souness is willing to try them all.

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