AN HONEST Graeme Souness freely admits that he and Emre enjoy a special relationship.

Before the nudge-nudge, wink-wink brigade start working overtime, it's fair to say that if the Turkish midfielder continues to score match-winners at St James' Park the Magpies crowd will be enjoying their own special relationship with the 25-year-old.

Saturday's strike in a dour struggle with Birmingham City was his second in successive home games, and the fans are already warming to the highly-skilled and powerful midfielder.

The goldfish bowl that is Newcastle United FC has seen some players hot-foot it south down the A1 but the manager has no such fears about his midfield maestro.

"Emre is a proper star," said Souness. "He has all the ability in the world and is loving it on Tyneside.

"From what I've seen I think he is still feeling his way in English football. He is one of our star players and I think he will get better. He's still only young."

Despite never playing under the Scot during his one-season spell in charge at Galatasaray - he signed at the Istanbul club as a 17-year-old a year after Souness departed - the player obviously looks up to his manager judging by his celebrations after scoring his first goal for Newcastle a fortnight ago in the Tyne-Wear derby.

The respect is mutual as Souness explained.

"When he ran over to me after scoring that marvellous winner against Sunderland that was a demonstration of that relationship."

However, he also enjoys a special relationship with the nation of Turkey, and that is already proving a headache for his manager.

His comeback games after picking up a hamstring injury against Manchester United were two substitute appearances for his national side against Germany and Albania.

A two-legged play-off against Switzerland now beckons with Emre available for the return game in Berne on Saturday; a suspension keeping him out of the home leg in Istanbul.

"I don't think the attention Emre gets is surprising," said Souness. "I know that he is the biggest star in Turkish football.

"He is their star player and he can't walk down any street in Turkey without being mobbed. He is the equivalent of David Beckham in England.

"He was much in demand in his old country (when Newcastle signed him) with the most successful club there, Fenerbahce desperate to sign him. Even the prime minister got involved.

"That's (suspension) a bonus as far as we're concerned. I just wish that he was suspended for both of them because that would reduce the chances of him suffering a problem. As with always on these international breaks, we will be keeping everything crossed that our players come back in one piece."

The fans will join the manager in the communal crossing ahead of the daunting trip to the new Theatre of Dreams in west London in a fortnight.

Newcastle will need their mercurial talent, but will go into that encounter with renewed hope after a run of four straight wins, and showing on Saturday that they have the ability to tough it out when necessary.

Steve Bruce's side arrived with a gameplan they stuck to and frustrated Newcastle who were unable to create anything of real substance in a turgid first half - a cross shot from Emre pushed away by Maik Taylor their best offering.

Birmingham's best hopes of a goal were from the right foot of Jiri Jarosik - the Czech midfielder struggling to find his range in the opening 45 minutes with his closest effort of the opening half a volley just wide of Shay Given's right-hand post a minute before the interval.

In the 58th minute the loan signing from Chelsea just about got everything right. Emile Heskey appeared to handle as he fell and pushed possession to Jarosik at least 35 yards from goal.

The thought process was instantaneous as he spotted Given five yards off his line and cracked a right-footed effort the Newcastle goalkeeper got nowhere near with the left hand post coming to his aid.

Shortly after Matthew Upson headed wide when he was unmarked in the box before Given saved smartly low to his right from a Heskey snap shot.

The crowd began to stir as they sensed the worse but a new found resilience appeared to drive Newcastle forward. Substitute Shola Ameobi skipped passed a couple of players on the left and released Emre only for a combination of Maik Taylor and Kenny Cunningham to smother his effort before a combination of Emre and the Birmingham goalkeeper handed Newcastle the win.

A ball from the left found Michael Owen who couldn't get a shot in with his right foot so left it to Celestine Babayaro who, in turn, left it to Ameobi, who in turn decided to lay it back to Emre.

The 39-capped international needed no second invitation and cracked a 25-yard effort that appeared to be heading straight into the hands of Taylor. His dive appeared early and instead of gathering the ball he only managed to palm it into the back of the net.

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.