NEWCASTLE'S Argentinian midfielder Christian Bassedas will put his international ambitions on hold while he bids to help the Magpies turn around their stop-start season.

On current form Newcastle have one of the worst records in the Premiership, having picked up just one point from their last five games.

Bassedas, one of a quartet of South American stars on the books, has his sights set on a more immediate matters than a place in the Argentinian squad - nailing down a regular first team place with United.

His last cap for Argentina was in the run-up to France 98, before he was omitted from the final 22, and Bassedas says his priorities are with Newcastle United at present, with the aim of repaying them for the faith they have shown in him since his arrival on Tyneside last June.

"I am not thinking about Argentina now, my mind is on the job here at Newcastle," he said.

"We have fantastic players, good coaches and we train very hard.

"But what we need now is to get back to winning ways, and to get back into the habit of winning.

"For me I need to be playing regularly then I can think again about international football, but my priority is with Newcastle.

"We have had lots of injuries this season, losing players like Kieron (Dyer) and Alan (Shearer).

"Kieron is a player who can win a game for us on his own and he is a big miss for us. The injury problems we have had have been bad."

Although Bassedas would face a tough battle to force his way back into the international reckoning, the news will be a boost to Bobby Robson, who this month had to lay down the law to Chilean Clarence Acuna, after the player was invited back into the national fold.

Acuna signed a special document saying he would give up international football when he arrived in the North-East, and Robson revealed he would be tying him to that.

Bassedas has had a difficult first season, which began with the 28-year-old breaking his foot on a pre-season tour to America, keeping him out for the first eight weeks.

Since then the Argentinian has been in and out of the side, but he remains determined to prove a success in front of the Toon Army.

"This season I have not been happy with my own form," he said.

"I spent eight years at one club and never had an injury. I arrived at Newcastle and immediately I had an injury. It was a tough time in a new place but the club has been very good to me and my family.

"But the injury is not an excuse, and everything that has happened this season has been a good experience.

"I have settled on Tyneside and I want to prove to the fans that this is not a holiday for me.

"I want to perform for the team and the fans. I have always dreamed of playing in Europe in the UEFA Cup or Champions League and I want to do that with Newcastle."

The £3.5m signing from Argentinian outfit, Velez Sarsfield, also joined joined Peruvian ace Nolberto Solano in insisting he has nothing to fear from the National Criminal Intelligence Service passports investigation.

Bassedas holds an Italian passport through a grandfather, and was adamant any investigation would not cause him any undue concern.

"The father of my mother was Italian and I have no worries about any investigations," he said.

The passport inquiry follows cases in France, Spain and Italy where players have been found to hold EU passports to which they are not entitled.

* Liverpool's bid for triple cup glory has been dealt a blow after it was revealed Jari Litmanen will be out for six weeks after breaking his wrist in Finland's defeat by England.

Litmanen, who was injured early in the second half at Anfield but completed the game, will miss the FA Cup semi-final against Wycombe and both legs of the UEFA Cup semi-final against his former club Barcelona.

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