FOLLOWING a week when Alan Shearer was once again hailed as the next Newcastle United boss by chairman Freddy Shepherd, Graeme Souness believes it is premature to talk about his successor at St James' Park.

Souness still has two years to run on the contract he signed when he took over from Sir Bobby Robson in September and is looking forward to a summer of change among his playing staff.

Shearer, for one, will be on the boss' retained list, having prolonged his career by a further season by delaying retirement plans.

But the legendary forward will be taking his first tentative steps into coaching as part of Souness' backroom staff next season and that, according to Shepherd, is a further move towards him eventually taking the reins at Gallowgate.

After a season of turmoil at Newcastle, there is no suggestion Souness wants to walk away after 19 years in management, or that Shearer wants to replace him now.

And Souness, eager to replace the miscreants of a turbulent campaign with players keen to play for him and the club, insists he already has one eye on huge improvements next season.

"Alan's a player next year and the offer he was made when I arrived is still there," said Souness.

"He can be involved as much as he wants on the coaching side but he has much to offer on the playing side.

"There's no timetable on Alan taking over. Am I in it for the long run here? Who knows? But I've got a contract for another couple of years after this and that's really as far as you can look ahead in football. I'm looking forward to working with players I'm responsible for bringing in."

Is he frustrated by the constant suggestion he is going to be replaced after just nine months in the job? "That's life at Newcastle United, that's Newcastle United," he said.

"I've said everything I want to say on that matter."

With Shola Ameobi suspended following his red card at Everton last weekend and Patrick Kluivert doubtful with a knee complaint, Shearer will return to the starting line-up for the final game of the season against champions Chelsea.

There is a chance the 34-year-old former England man will have a new strike partner in Michael Chopra, who looks destined to be given a chance to shine by his manager.

Chopra has scored 17 goals during a season-long loan spell at League One side Barnsley and Souness, who plucked striker Jon Stead from lower-league Huddersfield while in charge at Blackburn, is looking forward to witnessing the player in action.

"Chopra is in the squad on Sunday and I'll have a look at him at the start of the season as well," he said.

"I've seen him play for Barnsley this year and have had people watch him.

"The best we can judge him is in and around our own people. He's a lively young man.

"He's fitted in well with the group and seems very popular, the barometer of that is the banter. He's been hammered immediately which suggests he's obviously very popular."

But another Newcastle striker, Craig Bellamy, whose loan at Celtic is due to expire soon, looks destined to depart despite a suggestion he will return to training with the Magpies ahead of an Intertoto Cup push which starts in July.

"Bellamy's contracted to us so he would be back at training with us as he can't do his pre-season anywhere else, that wouldn't be a problem, not for me. I don't want to enlarge on that any further," said the manager.

Souness' disastrous first season in charge at the club comes to an end tomorrow.

It has been one surrounded in controversy after a series of high-profile incidents, including an on-pitch brawl between Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer, and while there will be no lap of honour from the home side in front of the club's supporters, Newcastle players will form a guard of honour for new Premiership champions Chelsea prior to the encounter.

The situation represents a massive turnaround for the two clubs over the past couple of years.

It was only 24 months ago that Newcastle pipped the Blues to the final Champions League spot but now Souness' men lie 51 points behind the Londoners.

"It's been eventful here, that's a very polite way of putting it," said Souness, whose side need to win to avoid recording a club Premiership points total low.

"There have been things I've not experienced before and things I don't want to experience again. Any manager coming in would have had to go through a learning curve and I have had to.

"We'll give Chelsea a guard of honour, they've won arguably the most difficult league in the world with some style. It's the right thing to do, they deserve it."

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