Souness facing the axe next week

Graeme Souness's displays of defiance over the past few days appear to have failed to save the Newcastle United manager from the sack, possibly as early as next week, and Bolton Wanderers' Sam Allardyce remains the man most likely to succeed the Scot.

Despite Souness's protestations, Allardyce's distancing himself from the job and various on- and off-the-record denials from a variety of people at St James', Souness's fate looks sealed and Allardyce has been identified as a manager who can rejuvenate Newcastle's season. It is understood Allardyce's assistant at Bolton, Sammy Lee, would also move from Lancashire to the north-east.

There has to be an element of caution because of the innate unpredictability of affairs at St James' and because Newcastle have made no formal offer to Bolton for Allardyce's services. Bolton have Allardyce under contract and, unless there is an appropriate clause that would trigger his immediate release, the two clubs' chairmen, Freddy Shepherd of Newcastle and Phil Gartside of Bolton, will have to become involved in negotiations.

They could be difficult given that Bolton have a tie with Marseille in the last 32 of the Uefa Cup in February and they are unlikely to want to part with the man who has been fundamental to their rise.

Now 51, Allardyce has been with Bolton since succeeding Colin Todd in October 1999. Two seasons later Bolton were promoted to the Premiership and after two years spent stabilising the club in the top division, the last two seasons have produced eighth and sixth-place finishes. Last year they ended up eight places and 14 points above Newcastle.

It has been said that Shepherd refuses to countenance Allardyce as a Newcastle manager because he declined the position in the days after Bobby Robson was sacked in September 2004. But it would be unusual if Shepherd, who is believed to be reluctant to appoint a foreign manager after the Ruud Gullit and Ossie Ardiles experiences, did not at least consider Allardyce's achievements at Bolton.

Guardian Service