Asking Iain Dowie to help lead Newcastle United to safety this season may yet prove to be one of the more intriguing decisions Alan Shearer makes during his eight-game reign at his hometown club.

In 2006 the then Charlton Athletic boss couldn't even lead his players to St James's Park as the entire Addicks squad found themselves stranded on the mean streets of Tyneside.

In typically eccentric fashion, Dowie had taken his team on the road to nowhere during a pre-match jog and a fleet of Geordie cabbies was hastily called in to rescue the Londoners from the side of a busy dual carriageway.

Thankfully for Shearer, his new No2 safely negotiated the trip to Newcastle's training ground yesterday morning - steering a confidence-sapped Magpies' squad clear of the Championship will be an altogether tougher challenge.

Newcastle's new manager accepted as much as he explained the decision to take charge of his boyhood heroes for the final eight games of a tumultuous campaign and to make Dowie was his first appointment.

"Iain's been in this position before," explained Newcastle's fourth manager of the season, ahead of tomorrow's clash with Chelsea. "He's been in a relegation dogfight. He knows what it takes.

"He's a great character and it was important that he was sat alongside me. If Iain thinks I'm doing the wrong thing he'll tell me. He's big enough and strong enough to let me know what I'm doing wrong. He'll tell me if I should be doing this or shouldn't be doing that. And I'll listen. That's very, very important."

Dowie, of course, will not be backward in coming forward when offering advice to his new gaffer. The two became close during their time together at Southampton and a mutual respect fostered at The Dell has developed into a close friendship over the years. It was always going to require something out of the ordinary to tempt Dowie from his comfort zone in the capital and that something special manifested itself in the shape of Shearer the manager.

"I always saw Alan as a future manager," said Dowie. "There's something very single minded about him. It's unusual that you get an individual who knows how to say the right things at the right time and Alan doesn't tread on eggshells. He's always been that way. Of course he was a magnificent player. But that was then and this is now. Having said that, I would be very surprised if he doesn't have the tools to become a top-class manager."

There are many who would suggest Dowie does not have those tools and, maybe, never will. Indeed, supporters of Charlton and QPR will be wondering what Shearer sees in a failed Championship manager and an outspoken individual consigned to the pundit's couch. Those fans are right to remain sceptical but Dowie, typically, is in no doubt that he brings more than entertaining soundbites to the St James's mix.

"Alan knows I'm a tracksuit manager who likes to get involved with coaching and we have a very open and frank relationship which works very well," he added. "He's a bright man but make no bones about it - I've come in to try and shape the team that Alan wants.

"We dovetailed very well on day one. I'm very hands-on but Alan chipped in with good points at crucial times. The pressure is on but we're very much looking forward to it. I can take care of all the mundane things which drive you mad as a manger - all of the organisation and that kind of stuff. It's very important that Alan is clear and single-minded about team selection. The fact of the matter is we'll have very frank discussions about everything we do."

Denting Chelsea's title ambitions is the first thing Dowie and Shearer must do and while both accept that beating the Blues is a mighty challenge, the pair exuded confidence prior to their first competitive test.

United will welcome back Michael Owen to spearhead their attack after the England international returned to full training this week.

Owen's presence on the pitch, coupled with his former international mentor's off it, will hardly help Guus Hiddink's cause as Stamford Bridge's finest seek to stay the Premier League distance this season. Then again, United's new assistant manager might offer to take Newcastle's players on a training run between now and tomorrow's kick-off.