  We present a coupled channels separable potential approach to $\eta N$ and
$\eta'N$ interactions using a chiral-symmetric interaction kernel. The s-wave
$\pi N$ amplitudes and $\pi^{-}p$ induced total cross sections are reproduced
satisfactorily in a broad interval of energies despite limiting the channel
space to two-body interactions of pseudoscalar mesons with the baryon
ground-state octet. It is demonstrated that an explicit inclusion of the
$\eta_0$ meson singlet field leads to a more attractive $\eta N$ interaction,
with the real part of the scattering length exceeding 1 fm. The $\eta'N$
diagonal coupling appears sufficient to generate an $\eta'N$ bound state but
the inter-channel dynamics moves the respective pole far from physical region
making the $\eta'N$ interaction repulsive at energies around the channel
threshold. The $N^{*}(1535)$ and $N^{*}(1650)$ resonances are generated
dynamically and the origin and properties of the $S$-matrix poles assigned to
them are studied in detail. We also hint at a chance that the $N^{*}(1895)$
state might also be formed provided a suitably varied model setting is found.
