GLENN Roeder last night admitted Newcastle's next manager will face a "huge job" as he attempts to eradicate the defensive howlers that continue to hamper the club's development.

Roeder was still seething as he reflected on yet another defensive horror-show at the Valley, with Charlton taking advantage of three dreadful mistakes to inflict Newcastle's fourth defeat on the trot.

And, with Graeme Souness' permanent successor almost certain to bring in defensive reinforcements upon his appointment, the caretaker has warned the likes of Jean-Alain Boumsong, Craig Moore and Stephen Carr that they face footballing obscurity unless they cut out the mistakes that blighted yesterday's reverse.

"The players have to realise that, if they want a long career at this football club, whoever the manager is going to be, they have to be much more consistent," said Roeder, who refused to comment on weekend reports that Martin O'Neill had been offered the manager's job.

"This club cannot be in the middle of the table over the next couple of seasons. It is a huge, huge job for whoever comes in, because defensively we are showing no consistency whatsoever, it just isn't good enough.

"It is more than disappointing. I said to the players that Charlton Athletic have made a name for themselves because they beat the Newcastle Uniteds of the Premiership.

"If you are not fully concentrated on what you are doing defensively you will lose and we're giving goals away that a manager cannot possibly legislate for. Our defending for all three goals was woeful. At this level, for Newcastle United, it's simply not good enough and it's happening too often."

A succession of Newcastle managers have seen their efforts undermined by a sieve-like defence but, while Roeder was clearly unhappy with Moore's concession of a penalty, Boumsong's lax marking and Lee Bowyer's comical own-goal, the Londoner denied his defenders were of insufficient quality to expect anything better.

Instead, the caretaker pointed to Chelsea's performance on Wednesday night and urged his players to master the basics of the defensive art.

"If you look at the way Chelsea defended on Thursday night, the likes of Geremi and John Terry put their foot through the ball when they had to," he said.

"There was no tippy-tappy or silly little balls from the back - it was good honest defending and, if it's good enough for Chelsea, it's good enough for us."

From a Newcastle perspective, the game's only high point came with Parker's fabulous first-half strike. The midfielder's leveller silenced the fans that were jeering him on his first return to the Valley, although the home supporters inevitably enjoyed the final laugh.

"Scott is a winner and, while I am sure he enjoyed his goal, he's feeling very down at the moment," said Roeder.

"But I've told him he's had a good career already and the best is yet to come."

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