Souness sounds warning for man who dares take on the Geordies

He criticised boardroom antics, questioned transfer fees, accused "professional agitators" of undermining the manager and said the club signed players he didn't choose, including Michael Owen. Here is the transcript of his interview on Sky Sports with presenter Richard Keys. . .

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SOUNESS: I have managed bigger clubs than Newcastle United but, without a shadow of a doubt, it was the most difficult job I ever had. The biggest problem I had was the chairman at the time (Freddy Shepherd). He typified what's out there at this moment in time: they're in it for five minutes and, all of a sudden, they start to think they understand football.

Harry, or whoever goes in to Newcastle now— it's whether Mike Ashley really has got the appetite for the long haul. That's what it needs. Newcastle is not a quick fix. I've managed Galatasaray, Glasgow Rangers, Liverpool, Benfica — all are bigger clubs than Newcastle.

Politics and people who are professional agitators from outside the club — ex-employees of the club, journalists — seem to take great pleasure in causing the club a problem.

The Geordie people are fantastic. They are open and in your face. If they are not happy with something, they will tell you. They deserve far better than they have got.

(They won't get it) until somebody goes in there for the long term and gives the manager time, support to the hilt financially and genuine support — I certainly didn't get that from Freddy Shepherd. He's not someone you want to be in the trenches with and that's not just my view.

I think Newcastle could be a fabulous club. I'd go back now, in a heartbeat. With a different chairman, yes. It's a big club, one of the big clubs out there, it has the potential to be one of the best, but whoever goes in there is going to need a minimum three or four years.

KEYS: In fairness to Freddy Shepherd, he gave you a few quid. And you did go and buy Michael Owen.

SOUNESS: I would argue that point. My first choice was Nicolas Anelka and Luis Boa Morte. I spoke to the people in Turkey (Anelka was at Fenerbahce) and was told he could be bought, but I was told (by Newcastle) that he couldn't be bought.

Instead of buying Anelka for £12million, we signed Albert Luque for £10m. And Michael Owen for £16m.

KEYS: Were they your decisions?

SOUNESS: No. No. I was told Albert Luque would cost £2m.

KEYS: Who should take the job? Sir Bobby Robson says it should be Alan Shearer.

SOUNESS: Sure, Alan Shearer would be very popular, but Alan will be the first to tell you that he is not quite ready. If Alan could go in with an experienced head, then he'll have a chance. He would be given six months longer than anyone else. Kevin Keegan and Shearer would be a popular choice. I'll say again, it's not a quick fix. Mike Ashley (is) someone from the outside, who can step back and not get involved in the showbusiness of that club.

It's never-ending up there. Newcastle United is a unique football club. You can go there on a Tuesday morning, walk around the shops and the men are walking with their wives in their Newcastle United shirts and they are extremely proud of their football club. They are desperate to be given something to shout about.

They have an obsession with the centre forward and playing with wingers. They want their football played a certain way.

With what Big Sam (Allardyce) did at Bolton, he would have been approaching it in a different way. There is an obligation, certainly at home, an infatuation to have their big centre forward, because of the famous No 9s they've had. They want to see goals scored, but they are not daft.

They know that maybe it's time that they may have to change their thinking. I thought Sam had a great chance of doing that.

With him being an ex-centre half, always erring on the side of caution and the way Bolton have played over the years, I thought if they could get some results being a bit more cautious, they could then add to that and get some more flair players in.

To go in, then to last however long Sam lasted, is not good for Newcastle United. It was Sam's first big job. There is nothing about managing Newcastle that is similar to managing Bolton.

It will be interesting to see if the new owner has the appetite for it. He must be sitting there this morning, realising there is no way this will be sorted out in 12 months.