Bramble given his chance to bear fruit

Newcastle v Dinamo Tbilisi: A quarter of a century has passed since Graeme Souness last faced Dinamo Tbilisi but the recollection remains painful. "I have only bad memories of Tbilisi," said Newcastle's manager as he prepared his team to meet the Georgians on Tyneside tonight.

Souness was part of the Liverpool side that suffered a rare elimination on a European Cup night, losing 3-0 in front of 110,000 fans. "At that time they were champions of all Russia and were an excellent team," Souness recalled.

"We won 2-1 at home and then we lost 3-0 away and there was no argument in the second game. We were beaten by a very good team on the night."

The dissolution of the Soviet Union and the passing of a golden generation of Georgian players have conspired to leave Tbilisi's class of 2004 looking comparatively weak UEFA Cup contestants. As Souness put it: "We're playing a team who lost to Sochaux in their first match so it's win or bust for them."

Titus Bramble's career could be at a similar crossroads, with his manager admitting interest in Chelsea's Robert Huth and Nottingham Forest's Michael Dawson.

The former Ipswich centre half is likely to be offered a rare start tonight but Souness has yet to be convinced of Bramble's desire to fulfil his potential.

"Titus has a fair bit of experience at this level," Souness said. "He's coming to an age when he should put the problems he's had behind him.

"What I'd say to Titus is 'where do you go after Newcastle United?' You're playing at the highest level and for one of the best clubs in the world.

"If Titus doesn't grasp this chance, he will regret it for the rest of his life. But he's not alone in that."

If that last sentence was a not so cryptic reference to the injured midfielder Kieron Dyer, Souness's thoughts seem primarily concerned with central defenders.

"In the last four years this club has tried 13 centre halves and it's an area I'd like to strengthen," he admitted.

Newcastle suffered their first defeat since he took over when they were bombarded into submission at Bolton on Sunday.

"Huth is one of the players my chairman has inquired about," Souness said - the other is almost certainly Damien Duff.

"I see Dawson as one for the future but if we can make Titus consistent he can save this club a fortune."

Even so, at least one Championship manager has been deterred from bidding for Dawson after being told he is almost certainly Newcastle bound in January.

Huth is reputedly more likely to join Internazionale.

When Temuri Ketsbaia joined Kenny Dalglish's Newcastle, the former Georgian international and Dinamo Tbilisi midfielder described it "the best opportunity I ever had in football".

Now coaching in Cyprus, Ketsbaia expects Newcastle - without the suspended Nicky Butt - to prevail against a Dinamo side who have lost their last three games, conceding nine goals in the process.

"None of the top Georgian players are playing their club football at home now," Ketsbaia said. "So I certainly don't expect them to beat Newcastle."

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-4-2, probable): Given (or Harper); Carr, O'Brien, Bramble, Bernard; Bellamy, Bowyer, Jenas, Robert; Shearer, Kluivert.

DINAMO TBILISI (3-4-2-1, possible): Mamaladze; Shashiashvili, Chichveishvili, Salukvadze; Aladashvili, Kashia, Kandelaki, Nemsadze; Akhalaia, Kakaladze; Melkadze.

Referee: E Berntsen (Norway).