Souness searching for experienced defender
Newcastle manager Graeme Souness will step up his search for a central defender after seeing Titus Bramble ruled out for the start of the new season.
The 23-year-old former Ipswich stopper was taken to hospital in agony after breaking his right elbow in a training ground accident yesterday, and could be out of action for up to three months.
Aaron Hughes and Andy O’Brien have already left St James’ Park for Aston Villa and Portsmouth respectively in recent weeks, leaving Souness with only Jean-Alain Boumsong, Steven Taylor, Peter Ramage and Robbie Elliott from which to choose for Sunday’s opening Intertoto Cup clash with Dubnica in Slovakia.
“As we speak now, we feel that we are one experienced central defender short,” the Scottish boss.
“With Stephen Carr, both Peter Ramage and Steven Taylor could do a job there, both Ramage and Taylor could do a job at centre-back and we have got Celestine Babayaro at left-back and we have got Robbie Elliott to cover him.
“I would like one more experienced centre-back because if you look at Titus at 23, Jean-Alain Boumsong at 25, Taylor at 19 and Ramage at 21, we do not have a lot of experience in a very important position.
“Finances allowing, I would like to bring another experienced centre half in.”
Boumsong is a specialist central defender, while that too is Taylor’s preferred position, but both he and Ramage have played most of their senior football at full-back and Elliott is a specialist at left-back despite having lined up in the middle during previous emergencies.
Souness has added experience to his squad elsewhere in the shape of Chelsea midfielder Scott Parker, and is hopeful Turkey midfielder Emre Belozoglu will improve that by completing his move to St James’ Park in the next 24 hours.
However, he will not abandon the youngsters who had to play such a big part when injuries struck last season, and he is convinced they can handle the pressure of a hugely important campaign for the club.
Souness told his club’s official website www.nufc.co.uk: “James Milner came in and impressed towards the end, young Steven Taylor impressed everyone when he came in with his natural athleticism and his aggression, and Charles N’Zogbia.
“They are 19 – I do not think Charles is 19 yet, but the other two are 19 - but they came in last year both at St James’ and places like Old Trafford and the other big stadiums and showed they could handle the pressure.
“Ideally, you do not want to be playing the three all at the same time, but that was what we were forced into last year. But I do not have any fears for those three coming in and doing a job when they are asked to do so, no worries whatsoever.”
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