Newcastle's manager Alan Pardew claims he is "open-minded" about Joe Kinnear's appointment as director of football.
Mike Ashley, the club's owner, dropped something of a bombshell last month when he parachuted the 66-year-old Kinnear into St James' Park and handed him responsibility for all football-related matters.
Pardew, who was on holiday at the time, kept his own counsel as the managing director Derek Llambias resigned, but the 51-year-old manager is ready to give it a go.
He told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I'm very open-minded to Joe's position. I will take it as I see it. People who work with me will know that I am my own man. I will manage this football club and manage this team to the best of my ability. On the back of last year I am even more motivated to do well this year."
Kinnear's first few days in the post did not go well as he conducted a series of interviews in which he muddled up facts and mispronounced the names of some of the club's senior players.
Pardew said: "Some of the things Joe said he has apologised for, especially getting the names wrong of our players. That needs to be corrected because there is a certain respect needed there. I spoke to one or two players and my staff here and made them very aware of where the position lies."
Kinnear has been charged with the task of implementing the summer transfer plan drawn up in discussions with Pardew and the chief scout Graham Carr, and the manager is hoping he will be able to fight his corner with Ashley.
Pardew said: "It is very simple for me: if Joe can persuade Mike to invest in the right manner then that will be the best outcome for us. As well as we have done in the transfer market, there is always room for improvement. I have spoken to Joe and had a couple of meetings with him. I have told him what I think the weaknesses in the squad are.
"Let's be fair, it's a squad, not a side, and I have told him I need to strengthen, and I have a couple of ideas." Newcastle are yet to make a decisive move, other than signing the 16-year-old French midfielder Olivier Kemen, and that is a source of frustration with some supporters.
However, Pardew is confident the wheels are in motion despite the fact that Kinnear is away on a pre-arranged break, and that the established system will not be disrupted by the changes in personnel.
He said: "I'm not sure what the worry would be on that. It is no different to what we had before. Graham comes up with one or two suggestions, I come up with one or two suggestions and we probably have a list of four that will take the team forward.
"We present that to Joe and Joe presents that to the owner. Joe has to dress that up to the owner in terms of finance and how is it going to work. Then [the secretary] Lee Charnley comes in and hopefully we get the player over the line.
"I think that is no different to what we had before. Joe's experience of what he's had as a manager, Mike feels that he probably knows the scene slightly better than Derek [Llambias], in Mike's opinion.
"As far as I am concerned, the most important factor for Joe is transfers. Between myself, Lee and Joe we hope to get some transfers over the line – and some out, by the way, because the squad is little thin in areas."
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