Souness Out!

[joey_big_nose]

For the first time us actually finishing higher than Newcastle seems a possiblity. The barcodes seem all over the place- dressingroom untrest, poor organisation, suspensions and injuries. This could be a very poor month for them.

If we could be above both Newcastle and Birmingham city come the end of the season I would be a happy man. It would show how far we have improved and have the bonus of giving the bird to those who denigrated us.

While Hughes has been a revelation for Rovers, I doubt Tyneside views Graeme in a similar light.

[PennyDuff]

I feel sorry for Souness as he did a great job here for three years and we owe him for quitting us as well

[vyeo]

extracted from a match report on sun

Boss Souey was hit by a string of injuries and he said: “We were asking boys to do a man’s job out there. We’re very disappointed, things went against us.”

now now, where have we heard that before?

sorry, i couldnt resist it.

[LeftWinger]

Irobnicly, when Souness was managing Benfica, he managed to win his first game against Sporting in Alvalade by 4-1.

How Irobnic!

[Ozz]

Talking of Roberts gobbing off, Souness has said that he will put that to one side for the good of the club and play him on Sunday.

Just like he did with all the Rovers players he fell out with...

[arealbrfcfan]

extracted from a match report on sun

Boss Souey was hit by a string of injuries and he said: “We were asking boys to do a man’s job out there. We’re very disappointed, things went against us.”

now now, where have we heard that before?

sorry, i couldnt resist it.

And you wonder why the players are so under pressure when he comes out with stuff like that!

He really has a way with words and motivating his own players

the only way is down im affraid souey

[Nayef]

Souness blames lady luck again?!

His departure was a blessing (NOT in disguise).

[jim mk2]

Wonderful to see the look on Sourpuss's face last night as another potential trophy eluded his dismal club.

After the manner in which he left Rovers, and the pathetic bunch of demoralised players he left behind, only an idiot would not revel in his discomfort.

[broadsword]

Can't see him lasting more than 18 months there.

Mind you they might go bust first.

[SouthAussieRover]

Question for Mr Alan Shearer.

Do you still expect to win any trophy with Newcastle?

If you don't will your Premiership medal finally mean more than anything you could have won with Newcastle?

[rover6]

How pathetically sad.

Just one day away from Rovers first FA Cup semi final for 45 years, and the hottest thread on the messageboard just now is busy slagging off our ex employees.

Have to concur.

Souness was a plonker for playing Dom Matteo on the left wing and an imbecile for signing Corrado Grabbi.

But let's leave it at that and stop disinterring this thread after every Newcastle defeat. Otherwise, it'll be at the top the whole time.

[Yorkshire Blue]

But that wasn't just any defeat. They managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in "one of the most important games in their recent history".

[jobo380]

I think it awful the way in which the newcastle fans treat their team and manager. They never stop whining about anything ever, best fans in the world-yer right!

[1864roverite]

Newcastle boss Graeme Souness claimed "things conspired against" his side as they went out of the Uefa Cup.

Sporting Lisbon won 4-1 in the second leg, going through 4-2 on aggregate, after the Magpies lost Kieron Dyer, Titus Bramble and Jermaine Jenas.

The injuries were such that Charles N'Zogbia, 18, had to finish the game with a suspected fractured collar bone.

"We are very disappointed," said Souness. "We felt that things conspired against us."

Souness added: "We had some golden opportunities to kill them off, and then we started to lose our better players with Jenas coming off at half-time, Titus coming off and then Kieron Dyer, who had been a real threat during the game, coming off.

How can he say it's bad luck - he messed up big time

From DBT

Have your say on 606

"We knew we were under pressure then and when we had had our strongest 11, our starting 11, we were very confident, especially after getting the first goal.

"But it shows how thin our squad is. We had some boys on there tonight and asked them to do a man's job. But that is the situation we find ourselves in.

"There is nothing we can do about it. We will take this defeat on the chin and start to prepare now for a very hard game in Cardiff on Sunday (against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals).

It's a shame - we had a great chance to win this tournament

Kieron Dyer

"If we had managed to keep our starting 11 on the pitch, I would not be sitting here telling this story, I think it would have been a very different story."

N'Zogbia's season is probably now over, Souness revealed.

"You might not see him again this year," he said. "We think he has broken his collar bone."

Kieron Dyer admitted Newcastle self-destructed as they lost to Sporting Lisbon and missed out on a Uefa Cup semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.

Dyer said: "To concede four goals - you don't deserve to win. We have shot ourselves in the foot.

"We scored the first goal and were comfortable. It's a shame - we had a great chance to win this tournament.

"Our defending was not good enough. For 60 minutes we were really comfortable and then we just blew a gasket."

Dyer admitted Sunday's FA Cup tie now takes on even more significance.

"We have got to pick ourselves up quickly," he added.

"It is our only chance of silverware and getting into Europe so we have got to improve considerably."

now where have we heard this before ?

[Nayef]

After the manner in which he left Rovers, and the pathetic bunch of demoralised players he left behind, only an idiot would not revel in his discomfort.

Agreed.

I would have put that sentence as my signature if it wasn't for her.

[USABlue]

How pathetically sad.

Just one day away from Rovers first FA Cup semi final for 45 years, and the hottest thread on the messageboard just now is busy slagging off our ex employees.

The striker who won us the league, and the manager who won us our last cup.

When exactly are you lot going to move on, and enjoy OUR season rather than panning Shearer and Souness for missing out on the last 4 in the UEFA Cup??

Idiots.

Settle down Tris, it's just a discussion about the bloke who single handedly put us in the crap then walked away. To me it makes a nice change from the excuses for not going to Cardiff type posts.

[WaffleWag]

"We are very disappointed," said Souness. "We felt that things conspired against us."

lady luck certainly is back in town

[herbergeehh]

Interesting article here, about Flitty's fallout with Souness.

<<< Clickety-Click! >>>

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

This article was posted on the main page of the NUFC.com website, after Newcastle's second 4-1 thrashing in the space of a few days:

An awful pain in the Butt...

Two vital games in four days, two 4-1 defeats and two shows of belligerence from a couple of players with questionable commitment. Just a normal week in the history of an underachieving football club.

This time it was Nicky Butt who disgraced the black and white shirt by heading straight down the tunnel at the end of the defeat at the Millennium Stadium while his team-mates showed their appreciation for some unbelievable support.

Butt had played poorly and had surrendered possession time and time again to his former colleagues, notably just before the third goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy. He might as well have been wearing a red shirt at times.

And for this he received some cat-calling from the Newcastle United following who, once again, were witnessing another very public undressing.

That was seemingly all too much for poor Nicky who disappeared off to the dressing room after warmly congratulating his old pals. A petulant action that puts his future at St.James' Park in serious doubt.

And as for the week's other miscreant? Laurent Robert was given the chance to make amends for derailing preparations for the Sporting game. A chance that he blew in spectacular fashion.

Seven set pieces were squandered with free-kicks and corners mis-delivered by the Frenchman's left boot.

But it wasn't just those pair who put in a feckless shift. Celestine Babayaro and his array of mysterious injuries restricted him to 45 half-hearted minutes.

Amdy Faye exhibited the art of being unable to pass a ball more than five yards, Stephen Carr demonstrated how not to cross a ball and the disgraceful Patrick Kluivert ambled around until the final whistle when he raced to embrace Rio Ferdinand and swap shirts.

A modicum of credit goes to the team's local lads, Steven Taylor, Alan Shearer and Shola Ameobi who at least seemed to care and substitutes Charles N'Zogbia and Andy O'Brien who came on at half-time and put in some effort.

Jean-Alain Boumsong flattered with his footwork but deceived with his marking at times, particularly on the first two goals. And of course special mention for Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer who dropped us right in it with their suspensions.

The performance from those in the stands was exemplary. The volume and constant noise from the black and white-clad sections of the ground was predictably magnificent. Perhaps one day we'll get a set of players worthy of our following, but not until half a dozen of the current shower are shown the door.

How Newcastle have finished in the Premiership in recent seasons:

2001/02 4th

2002/03 3rd

2003/04 5th

They currently lie in 13th, with just 38 points.

Newcastle now have to decide if they want to play in the Intertoto-bob Cup. The current squad are clearly not good enough to win the UEFA Cup, as last Thursday's humiliation against Sporting Lisbon showed.

When Souness was appointed Newcastle manager, Freddy Shepherd told the media:

"I won't accept that this is a transitional year for us. All the ingredients are here for success. Everything is in place at the club. Graeme is the man to take us a step further."

Is going from 5th place under Bobby Robson to 13th place now "a step further"....?

Edited April 19, 2005 by Anti Euro Smiths Fan

[arealbrfcfan]

This article was posted on the main page of the NUFC.com website, after Newcastle's second 4-1 thrashing in the space of a few days:

An awful pain in the Butt...

Two vital games in four days, two 4-1 defeats and two shows of belligerence from a couple of players with questionable commitment. Just a normal week in the history of an underachieving football club.

This time it was Nicky Butt who disgraced the black and white shirt by heading straight down the tunnel at the end of the defeat at the Millennium Stadium while his team-mates showed their appreciation for some unbelievable support.

Butt had played poorly and had surrendered possession time and time again to his former colleagues, notably just before the third goal from Ruud van Nistelrooy. He might as well have been wearing a red shirt at times.

And for this he received some cat-calling from the Newcastle United following who, once again, were witnessing another very public undressing.

That was seemingly all too much for poor Nicky who disappeared off to the dressing room after warmly congratulating his old pals. A petulant action that puts his future at St.James' Park in serious doubt.

And as for the week's other miscreant? Laurent Robert was given the chance to make amends for derailing preparations for the Sporting game. A chance that he blew in spectacular fashion.

Seven set pieces were squandered with free-kicks and corners mis-delivered by the Frenchman's left boot.

But it wasn't just those pair who put in a feckless shift. Celestine Babayaro and his array of mysterious injuries restricted him to 45 half-hearted minutes.

Amdy Faye exhibited the art of being unable to pass a ball more than five yards, Stephen Carr demonstrated how not to cross a ball and the disgraceful Patrick Kluivert ambled around until the final whistle when he raced to embrace Rio Ferdinand and swap shirts.

A modicum of credit goes to the team's local lads, Steven Taylor, Alan Shearer and Shola Ameobi who at least seemed to care and substitutes Charles N'Zogbia and Andy O'Brien who came on at half-time and put in some effort.

Jean-Alain Boumsong flattered with his footwork but deceived with his marking at times, particularly on the first two goals. And of course special mention for Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer who dropped us right in it with their suspensions.

The performance from those in the stands was exemplary. The volume and constant noise from the black and white-clad sections of the ground was predictably magnificent. Perhaps one day we'll get a set of players worthy of our following, but not until half a dozen of the current shower are shown the door.

How Newcastle have finished in the Premiership in recent seasons:

2001/02 4th

2002/03 3rd

2003/04 5th

They currently lie in 13th, with just 38 points.

Newcastle now have to decide if they want to play in the Intertoto-bob Cup. The current squad are clearly not good enough to win the UEFA Cup, as last Thursday's humiliation against Sporting Lisbon showed.

When Souness was appointed Newcastle manager, Freddy Shepherd told the media:

"I won't accept that this is a transitional year for us. All the ingredients are here for success. Everything is in place at the club. Graeme is the man to take us a step further."

Is going from 5th place under Bobby Robson to 13th place now "a step further"....?

Thanks for pointing that out. So many times has this been highlighted..and the words i told you so always spring to mind.

Whats funnier is that in a matter of hours rovers could well be ahead of Newcastle all being good with a win(touch wood) over Palace.

Really think its time to lay to rest the souey bashing though...he was an arse and no doubt that we will have the last laugh.

[cletus]

I know this is a newcastle/Souness related thread but after both semi-finals at cardiff, i am glad that i support Blackburn Rovers.

At least our 'small town' 'bully boy' 'thug' (what-ever else has been said in the media) team showed commitment, passion & pride.

Our fans went home dissapointed, but still proud of the fact we'had a go' at one of the finest teams (one of the 'big 3') of English football.

I`ve said for many years......

You can always tell it`s spring when you see geordies crying on telly!

[Scotty]

Good grief - do you not think this is starting to get a bit silly now? I wanted Souness to go as much as anyone but this constant slagging of him is getting a little tedious now.

Like any manager Souness needs time to rebuild the squad and turn Newcastle into "his" team. Only then will we be able to judge if he's been successful there or not.

Do I think he'll be a success? Couldn't care less to be honest.

Edited April 19, 2005 by Scotty

[promoted2001]

Am I the only one who thinks Souness was a great manager for us?! Sure he was losing it at the end but he doesn't deserve this from the fans, given time he'll do the job for Newcastle. Then again he wont get the time he desperately needs.

[rover6]

Good grief - do you not think this is starting to get a bit silly now? I wanted Souness to go as much as anyone but this constant slagging of him is getting a little tedious now.

Did you? That's not the impression I got from reading your posts (I might be wrong, so please correct me) but when I dared to suggest Souness deserved the chop, it was only the usual suspects concurring. The rest of you went for a pound of my flesh.

[Flopsy]

tahts coz you came up with Paul Sturrock as a replacement you little oik