Former Magpies striker Shola Ameobi has welcomed the appointment of Steve Bruce as an antidote to the uncertainty which has engulfed the club in recent weeks.
However, he admitted recruitment during what remains of the transfer window will be key with Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez, who scored 23 league goals between them last season, no longer on the books.
Ameobi said: “Ultimately, they were our goals last year and we all know, especially in the Premier League, goalscorers come at a premium. I know Steve will be coming in, that will be his priority.
“In terms of the squad, we’ve got a decent squad and that is the void we need to fill straight away.
“It’s very hard to make signings without a manager and ultimately, the manager has to make those decisions.
“Hopefully Steve will be coming in knowing what he needs to do. Whether or not we can get that over the line is another question because the time frame is very short.
“He has got all the experience in the world, he’s been doing this a long time and he’s got broad shoulders. I think he’ll be able to cope with the demands of this job.”