NEWCASTLE United boss Sam Allardyce yesterday promised supporters the club's unruly dressing room will be sorted out before the curtain raises on the opening day of next season.

Allardyce has made it known work is already under way in preparation for next term despite being in charge at St James' Park a little over 72 hours.

The United boss is keen to introduce the pioneering techniques he used so successfully at the Reebok Stadium and he has already begun the process of implementing the revolutionary changes required at the club so they can challenge the Premier League's elite once more.

Allardyce started by making himself familiar with every aspect of the club, from the tea lady to the backroom staff, and now has dossiers on every player employed by the club in readiness for pre-season training.

The 52-year-old has not yet named his backroom staff but it is expected that an army of over 20 people, including coaches, scientists, doctors, psychological profilers, dietitians and IT consultants, will join him at St James' Park.

Before the scientific revolution gets under way, the new United boss has promised to rid the club's dressing room of any disruptive influences.

It is common knowledge Obafemi Martins and Charles N'Zogbia refused to travel or take a place on the bench for Newcastle's final league game of the season at Watford, but that is only the tip of the iceberg.

United's senior professionals Shay Given, Nicky Butt and Steve Harper have all recently voiced their concern at the lack of commitment from several of the squad.

While Allardyce says he has yet to discover the root of any dressing-room discontent, as he has yet to speak to all of his players, it is top of his agenda.

"I think first and foremost we need to get the first-team right and get the playing squad all pulling in the same direction," said Allardyce, who has signed a three-year contract believed to be worth £3m a year.

"One or two people have said to me that there are one or two fractions between one or two of the players and they're not all in the same camp. We need to sort that out.

"We have a talented bunch of boys who need a little more guidance. Pulling together as individuals is OK but what you need most of all is team spirit, collectively together, and being able to roll your sleeves up, fight, wear your heart on your sleeve and enjoy your football. Hopefully that will pass over to the fans who will look forward to watch us play."

Supporters are also keen to know which players will be following their new manager through the St James' Park door.

With Titus Bramble, Craig Moore, Oguchi Onyewu, Olivier Bernard and Pavel Srnicek all leaving, it is no secret the club are desperate for quality defenders. Portsmouth centre back Sol Campbell and Middlesbrough striker Mark Viduka have been linked with moves and it would not come as a surprise if Allardyce's former charge at Bolton, Tal Ben Haim, joined him on Tyneside. The Israeli defender is out of contract, although he has been offered a new deal.

Allardyce said: "We've got to target a few players. We've released one or two, which is something that has to be done from my point of view. I know some of the players will be disappointed in that but it is a fact of life and we have to move on and get better and better.

"The summer is about recruitment and getting the best players we can for this great football club."

After Allardyce has finished his summer recruitment he says he plans to turn St James' Park into a fortress and make the team a force on the road.

He added: "The first priority is to win your home games, which means you're always going to send your fans away happy. That is going to be the catalyst to where we're going to finish in the season.

"When it comes to playing away from home it is about becoming more resilient and a bit more determined to dig in and defend a bit more correctly, rather than going away to play attacking football, which is what we want to do at St James'.

"We'll be seeing two different Newcastle Uniteds if you like.

"But it is all about team spirit - we're going to need it day to day, not just on a match day. We need to build a solidarity between ourselves, learning to trust ourselves, me learning to trust them and them me. That will pay dividends, hopefully, in the end.

"I managed a couple of sides (at St James') and the latest one was the best one. We managed to get a goal off a free-kick and win. It was probably the easiest time I've ever had here. But from now on I want it to be as difficult as it always was. If I ever got a draw here I used to be delighted in the early days. We need to get back to that fear."