Joe Kinnear, Newcastle's interim boss, has been told his role will last until the end of the season and with it full control of the January transfer budget. He said: "At the moment, the plan is that I identify the players I want and then that will go back to the chairman, Derek Llambias, and then I assume he will give (football director) Dennis Wise the order to go and get them, that's how it works.
"But they are strictly my players. I identify them, it goes to the board, they will back it, hopefully finances will be made available and then Dennis will be given the task to go and negotiate and get the job done.
"I have spoken to the owner, I have explained to him where I think we need to strengthen up with the squad that we have got.
"He is quite happy with that and if we can get the players I am looking for, he has promised me that he will back me up."