GRAEME Souness last night launched an impassioned defence of his position at St James' Park and claimed another change of manager was a recipe for disaster for Newcastle.

Souness has been forced to fend off a barrage of criticism this week, with fans calling for his head in the second half of Monday's 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough and chairman Freddy Shepherd weighing up his options given the Magpies' position in the bottom half of the Premiership.

The Newcastle chairman has assured the Scot he will still be in place for tomorrow's FA Cup third-round game with Mansfield but, while the pair have discussed potential transfer targets, his long-term future remains in doubt.

Souness is Newcastle's fifth manager in the last nine years - a period that has seen the club fail to end their 37-year wait for a major trophy.

A lack of stability has been accompanied by a lack of success and, as far as the former Middlesbrough midfielder is concerned, the two factors are not unconnected.

"We have to get away from the attitude of changing everything, that the manager has to go or that we have to get more players," said Souness, who failed in his attempts to delay Amdy Faye's departure to the African Nations Cup.

"There is not a club in the history of football that has had success by continually making changes. That's a fact. Alex Ferguson took seven years to win his first title.

"It's no good making changes here and making changes there. Sack him, bring more players in - that's not the way to do it.

"I'm in possession of this seat and I'll give everything I've got to bring success to this club. Let me be clear on this, I have no intention whatsoever of walking away.

"For 90 minutes of each game, I'm the biggest fan this club has got, I feel tremendous responsibility.

"I'm doing this job seven days a week, 24 hours a day, to the best of my ability. I'm giving everything I've got to be successful."

Even Souness' harshest critic would be forced to concede he has not had the best of luck with injuries this season.

Michael Owen's broken metatarsal ensured a miserable start to 2006, while news of Scott Parker's knee operation merely underlined the extent of the curse that seems to be wreaking havoc on the Magpies.

An entire first team are currently sitting on the sidelines and, while injuries cannot excuse all of Newcastle's failings, Souness insists any Premiership side would suffer from such a crippling absentee list.

"We find ourselves in a very difficult situation," he admitted. "We have something like eight of our top men missing.

"No club in the country could withstand that - not Chelsea, not Arsenal, not Manchester United, not anyone.

"People are talking about Arsenal not being the same team because they are missing one player this season. Well we're missing seven or eight - what does that do to us?

"We've brought in some very good players, but the injuries have killed us. Some fool has written that I'm hiding behind injuries, but we've been decimated, it means we can't play the kind of football we want.

"Our bench against Mansfield will be made up of kids with no first-team experience. That's just the reality of the position we are in."

The injuries have hardly been Souness' fault, but the Magpies manager has been accused of exacerbating the problem by signing players of questionable character.

Albert Luque's refusal to warm up at White Hart Lane evoked inevitable comparisons with Laurent Robert, while Celestine Babayaro's disinterested second-half display was roundly criticised.

With a member of Newcastle's coaching staff also having clashed with injury-hit full-back Stephen Carr, the harmonious dressing room Souness dreamed of when he arrived at St James' still seems some way from fruition. The reality though, according to the Scot, is somewhat different.

"I've got a really, really good group of players here," he argued. "I don't have dodgy characters now turning round telling the manager to go and sling his hook.

"We're not on the front pages of newspapers right now with people doing ridiculous things. I've got a great group of players - the only problem is that I can't get all of them on the pitch at the same time."

l Newcastle have been linked with Marseille defender Abdoulaye Meite, although any move for the Ivory Coast defender would depend on his non-participation in the African Nations Cup.

Meite, who is reported to be interesting a host of Premiership clubs, can play anywhere along the backline and helped Marseille knock the Magpies out of the UEFA Cup two seasons ago.

He is a regular Ivory Coast international though, and Souness is not interested in signing anyone who cannot commit to the club immediately.

"I know Freddy Shepherd has spoken to (Marseille chairman) Pape Diouf about Meite and a deal could happen," said the defender's agent, Willie McKay.

"Meite would be keen on a move to Newcastle, but the deal could depend on whether or not he plays in the African Cup of Nations. Newcastle want him to help them out now."

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