Last chance saloon

Watching the closing stages of the England match last night, it struck me as bizarre that Kieron Dyer is still considered to be on the fringes of the first team for his country even though he didn't even make the squad for the last game at club level. Clearly Sven sees something in Dyer that most of us Newcastle fans don't, or at least don't anymore.

But, having said that, he repaid some of his international manager's faith during his very brief stint after replacing the excellent Defoe, chasing and harrying defenders, getting into dangerous areas and causing problems at precisely the time when Poland wanted the ball up at the other end. He has his uses, after all.

While it might not mean the slate is wiped completely clean as far as Dyer is concerned, Souness's arrival could certainly be rehabilitating for a talented player who's seriously lost his way of late. It was no secret that his relationship with Sir Bobby had broken down, the fault almost wholly on his side, and now he owes it to the club to make up for the constant disappointments he's dragged us through on and off the pitch, and for the part he played (however inadvertently) in Sir Bobby's sacking. He's got a lot of work to do.

This is last chance saloon for our errant King of Bling - and if he doesn't realise it, then he could and should be booted out in January.

Incidentally, regardless of whether the collective post-match silence from the England players was petulant and childish, can I venture to suggest that it was a pleasant surprise for Dyer to support the decision and consequently keep his troublesome trap shut for a change? Refraining from arrogantly shooting his mouth at every opportunity is an essential first step in any potential Newcastle rehabilitation.