GLENN ROEDER'S enthusiasm for first team management has returned following consecutive victories as caretaker boss, but he admits to not knowing whether he will be in charge at Newcastle United beyond this weekend.

Without going so far as throwing his hat in the ring for the vacant Magpies job on a permanent basis, Roeder has revealed how being back on the Premiership scene has fired his imagination again.

But the former Newcastle captain, still saddened by the way his time as West Ham boss came to an end in 2003, insists his stance has not changed and that he remains in the hot-seat temporarily.

For now Roeder, delighted by the reaction from the Newcastle playing staff since he stepped in to replace the sacked Graeme Souness, is only concentrating on this evening's FA Cup fifth round tie with Southampton.

And that means forgetting about whether or not he will be in charge for Wednesday's rearranged visit of Charlton to St James' Park or Everton's trip to Tyneside a week today.

Ex-Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri is the latest to push his name forward to take over at Newcastle this week, while chairman Freddy Shepherd remains optimistic that Martin O'Neill can be persuaded to take charge.

But Roeder said: "It would be purely a guess about the job being filled sooner rather than later.

"The chairman wants to bring stability back to the club and appoint a new manager, I've not had any guidance as to my position.

"At the moment I've no reason to think I won't be in charge for Charlton, I'm totally focused on Saturday. It's such a big game. It would not be professional if I was to be even thinking about Wednesday, you have to focus on the game in hand.

"He expects me to carry on doing the job. I've enjoyed being here for the two games, enjoyed winning with the players.

"It hasn't crossed my mind (about it being permanent). It gives me great pride to win these last two games and I have an awful lot of feeling for the club, but nothing has changed.

"I take one game at a time and can't look beyond Southampton. If we get into round six, there's every chance someone else will be here for that and you will be asking him about it. It's a pretty big hat at the moment but I won't be doing it for our next manager. We will be doing it for ourselves."

At a time when Newcastle's chances of finishing in the top half of the Premiership have taking a huge turn for the better, after wins over Portsmouth and Aston Villa, there is no room for a slip up in the FA Cup today.

And, having worked with the crop of players for the past couple of weeks, Roeder has witnessed a determination within the camp to make sure of a place in the quarter-finals.

"It helps if you're scoring goals, and we have been doing that, scoring four in two games has helped," said Roeder. "You've got to enjoy every football match, if you're not happy you're not going to play well. But the atmosphere around the place is fantastic and the players can't wait for the game.

"I can imagine they're looking forward to the game as much as I am. I'd assume it's a good sign they're all desperately waiting for the game to come.

"As a person I've always thought if someone said give me one word that's the key to life it's attitude, or two words: good attitude.

"As I'm normally with the academy lads I only saw these players occasionally but every single one of them has got a good attitude.

"They're not late arriving or onto the training ground, they're a pleasure to work with and these last 12 days have reminded me how good the top players are."

As a Newcastle player Roeder was never able to reach the sixth round of the FA Cup and he remembers how they were beaten at this stage in 1988 by eventual winners Wimbledon and then by Tottenham a year later.

It was also Tottenham who defeated Roeder and Queen's Park Rangers in the 1982 final, although he was suspended for the replay after an initial 1-1 draw at Wembley.

And, as a manager with Gillingham, Watford and West Ham, it will be the first time Roeder has led a team beyond the fifth round if he was to do so against Southampton tonight.

"I'm not superstitious at all," said Roeder, who realises how much the Geordie public would appreciate an end to a 37-year wait for silverware come May.

"Both the Premiership and FA Cup are our priorities and I don't distinguish one from the other. I know the importance of the cup to the fans.

"But Southampton are not going to come here and lie down. I respect their manager George Burley enormously. He did exceptionally well at Derby and did well at Hearts until he surprisingly left. I'm sure he'll get Southampton into the Premiership, whether it's this year or next I don't know."

After a full week's training since returning from Spain, Spaniard Albert Luque is likely to find himself back on the bench today after a place was vacated by Robbie Elliott. Elliott will replace the suspended Celestine Babayaro at left-back.

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