WITH his threadbare squad already being stretched to the limit, an under-pressure Graeme Souness last night dismissed this week's round of international friendlies as "Mickey Mouse games".

Newcastle United's squad is already down to the bare bones and should Souness lose any player to injury, the repercussions could have dire consequences.

Jermaine Jenas and James Milner are with England in Denmark, Jean-Alain Boumsong is in France to face the Ivory Coast, Emre is in Bulgaria with Turkey, Shay Given and Stephen Carr are in the Republic of Ireland to face Italy and Amdy Faye was in Senegal for last night's game with Ghana.

"Part of me is angry about the timing of these games," said Souness. "They are Mickey Mouse friendly games, and I've got six or seven players away for them.

"Right across the board you will not find a manager who thinks it is a good idea to play these games a week into the new season.

"I cannot get my head around it. The players are finding their feet in the Premiership, then they're taken away from their clubs for a meaningless game.

"It's not fair on the paying customer, not just at Newcastle but right up and down the country.

"The players return to the club on Friday and have a day to prepare for a Premiership game.

"And what preparation without six or seven players who will be involved at the weekend? It's not right, no way is it right."

Souness' detractors, however, will spare little sympathy for United's current plight.

The club's decision to allow seven players to leave St James' Park without replacing them first has led to selling clubs holding the Magpies to ransom over players. That looks like continuing until United pay over the odds to get their man.

One such club is Turkish outfit Fenerbahce over striker Nicolas Anelka.

The Magpies were once again linked with the former Arsenal and Manchester City marksman last night after he is said to have thrown a tantrum following his half-time substitution in the 2-2 draw with Diyarbakirspor.

The player, however, later dismissed claims of a rift between him and his club and said he was suffering from a groin strain and only came off in the game as a precautionary measure.

United chairman Freddie Shepherd, meanwhile, is believed to have contacted the club encouraged by the Frenchman's substitution and is ready to meet Fenerbahce officials in a bid to revive the deal.

Shepherd has so far failed to make any progress with long-term target Luis Boa Morte, and Real Madrid's Michael Owen is believed to favour a move to a club who can offer European football.

Meanwhile, Boumsong joins the France squad ahead of their friendly against the Ivory Coast insisting Zinedine Zidane's return will provide his country with a much-needed boost.

Zidane recently ended his self-imposed international retirement to join the French squad for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers.

United's £8m signing says he is looking forward to playing alongside the Real Madrid playmaker once again and added that his inclusion will enhance the side's quality.

"I think he might bring something to the team and, of course, everybody will have to improve his game and hope to do something well with him," said Boumsong.

"Before his retirement, the French team was playing well with him but we were not focused only on Zidane.

"His return now is a major thing and everyone talks about it but we know that, on the pitch, Zidane is there but we have a lot of players.

"Maybe the opponents will focus on Zidane only but we know we have ten other players who can be dangerous for the other team."

* Charlton Athletic were last night linked with a fresh move for United midfielder Lee Bowyer.

The Addicks, who beat Sunderland 3-1 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, are in the market for a midfielder, but after chairman Shepherd and boss Souness threw their weight behind Bowyer last month there seems little to no chance of the Magpies selling him on.

* Newcastle's second string clocked up their second successive win of the season with a 2-1 success against Wolves last night.

Having beaten Leeds 3-2 in the reserve season opener last week, Tommy Craig's men made it two wins out of two at AFC Telford's Bucks Head ground.

Craig saw his side take a lead with less than two minutes on the clock through Carl Finnigan, then Charles N'Zogbia doubled the lead on 17 minutes.

Wolves pulled a goal back through Leon Clarke four minutes before the break.

Newcastle: Smith, Gate, Elliott, Ramage, Edgar (Huntington, 55), Clark, Brittain, N'Zogbia, Finnigan (Marshall, 55), Atkin (Farman, 67), O'Brien. Subs (not used): Walton, Forster.

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