WHEN Alan Shearer spent part of this week asking previous occupants of the Newcastle manager’s office for their advice, the message from the likes of Kevin Keegan and Bobby Robson came back loud and clear: "Welcome to the mad house."

With an injury crisis in the Magpies’ defence forcing Shearer to consider playing Damien Duff as a makeshift left back tomorrow against a Stoke City side who’ve secured as many home wins as Chelsea this season, the manager was left under no illusions that being boss at Newcastle will provide a thorough test of his sanity.

Sebastien Bassong’s return to the squad was a rare piece of good news from the treatment room after Shearer confirmed that neither Jose Enrique nor Steven Taylor will make tomorrow’s early evening kick-off.

While the guidance he was offered by his former mentors was of the ‘call me if you need anything’ variety, nothing during Shearer’s career as player or pundit has prepared the Newcastle boss for the rigours of Premier League management.

“It takes over your thoughts,’’ he admitted.

“Every waking minute. Every second, not minute. Picking teams – 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-2, whatever.

But it’s been great. I’ve enjoyed it.

“I’ve spoken to Kevin (Keegan), Kenny (Dalglish), Bobby (Robson). I spoke to a few coaches as well. It was just the normal stuff – how’s it going and are you enjoying it? They said to ring at any time and ‘Welcome to the mad house’ and all of that stuff. It was good chatting to them.

“I haven’t been able to switch off. Not at all. Not one bit. I expected that. Bang goes your relaxation time. If anyone tells you that they can do this job and switch off and relax then I certainly don’t believe them.”

Shearer has already identified that the squad at his disposal is worryingly deficient in some key areas.

“We’ve got one left back and one right back at the football club. It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you need more than that. For whatever reason, that’s what we’ve got, so we deal with it.

We go into Saturday’s game without a left-back. Duff is an option, yes,” noted the 38-year-old who has considered right-footer Ryan Taylor as another option for the left back slot.

Bassong’s return to fitness offers a much-needed boost but the lack defensive cover means that, irrespective of his faltering form, Fabricio Coloccini seems certain to start at the Britannia Stadium.

Shearer is also hopeful of Habib Beye, who returned to training yesterday, being available to face Tony Pulis’ uncompromising side.

“We know what we’re facing on Saturday but knowing and doing something about it are two totally different things,’’ he said.

“Not many teams have gone there this season and been able to handle everything Stoke are about.

Can we do that?

“Are we big and brave enough to handle the physical stuff they throw at us and also to play our own game? Can we take them on at being physical? Probably not.

“But can we take them on at football? Probably yes.”

Shearer believes that in Obafemi Martins and Michael Owen, his side possess strikers who can unlock Stoke’s powerpacked defensive unit.

“A lot of top teams would like to have Michael and Oba up front, but we’ve got to find the right balance,’’ he said.

“Going into Stoke will be difficult enough, because we all know the size and power of what they have. Now, can we go into the game and play those two up front against giants at the back?

“Can we slot the balls in between the defence for those two to run onto?

That’s our aim.”

Mark Viduka and Joey Barton both trained this week and could be ready for next Sunday’s trip to Tottenham.

But Peter Lovenkrands will not return to training until the middle of next week after being discharged from hospital last Saturday following breathing difficulties encountered during the loss to Chelsea.

Newcastle will be backed by just under 3,000 fans at the Britannia Stadium, the ground rated as having the best atmosphere in the League. Shearer, however, reminded his players that their own fans are second to none.

“I said to them while we were warming up on Tuesday, ‘where else would you get 7,500 people coming to watch you training when you’re third bottom?’ ’’ he said.

“We have to take great heart from that. If the players didn’t know – and they should do – then that shows what the football club means to the people.”