Souness Out!

[Bobby G]

Sour grapes some people are.

Dont forget he brought us back up having inherited a squad of journeymen with a few talented youngsters with potential among them.

He won the damn league cup. He finished 6th. We were playing some of the best football of the league.

He made some good signings for us and overall his tenure left us better off than before it, any way you look at it.

Good teams dont become bad teams overnight, or even over 12 or 18 months, as Hughes as shown us. Souness had lost his touch with the boys but dont forget that most of these players were the same also-rans that were underperforming under Souness.

[chris]

Prior to Souness arriving Dunn had handed in a transfer request and Jansen had agreed to join Rangers the following summer, but Souness vetoed the moved when he arrived. Duff was also half the player he turned out to be, so Souness did do this club some good.

371634[/snapback]

in Div 1 Souness had a midfield of

Duff Dunn Flitcroft and Gilespie.

i think he was given a good squad, not only that i think he built upon this squad with great signings like Berg, Neil, Cole.

I think it all went down hill when Duff went, Jansen got injuried, Dunn got fatter and some bad signings like Amo etc

but for a couple of years from 2000 to 2003, brilliant manager, then it all went wrong

Edited January 5, 2006 by chris

[bellamy11]

I think it has been pointed out several times that Souness is at his best with limited funds. The finds of people like Tugay and Neill are far more valuable than people he actually had to bid big for. At Liverpool he threw money at lots of players, including massive amounts for Mark Wright and Dean Saunders at Derby. At Newcastle he spent about £8m on Boumsong!!! Luque was around the £10m as well and that one hasn't really worked out thusfar.

He got the best out of our talented players and found us some bargains. His problem came when he developed us so far that we actually got some money to play with.

[USABlue]

Yes, you have to hate a manager who brings us a cup and a 6th place finish...

I like Hughes, but for all of you who hail him as our savior, what has he won?

He's hoping to win the 50/50 at the next match.

371569[/snapback]

Fiar point American however, what would Sparky have won had he walked into the same talent pool as Souness had.

Saving us from relegation last year has to rank as "winning" something we were dire and I was sure we might go down.

I'd say let's see what Sparky acheives over the same time frame as Souness (if we can hold on to him) and then compare the two.

[Exiled_Rover]

Fiar point American however, what would Sparky have won had he walked into the same talent pool as Souness had.

Saving us from relegation last year has to rank as "winning" something we were dire and I was sure we might go down.

I'd say let's see what Sparky acheives over the same time frame as Souness (if we can hold on to him) and then compare the two.

371693[/snapback]

I doubt Sparky is going to see the type of money Souness had to play with.

I mentioned it earlier (probably in a different thread ) that our backroom staff has the highest number of guys in the league with Uefa level coaching badge(s). The coaching the players are now receiving is second to non - they're a hel! of a lot fitter for one thing, and much more organised. You've just got to look at the development of Neill - he was a clogger at right back, an athlete playing football. He's turning into one of the best full backs in the league under Hughes. Likewise with Bentley, he's come on leaps and bounds under Hughes - there's still a long way to go mind, but the results are promising.

We're overachieving right now with a poor talent pool of players (not including the youth team, who I've never seen ). The clearest example of this is when Bellamy is on the field - he's good, admittedly, but not the superman he seems next to the rest of the squad. He makes us an entirely different team going forward because his talent level is much superior to anything we have in the squad.

I shudder to think what this backroom staff could have done with Jansen, Duff, Dunn & co.

[Radagast]

I was about to make yet another post on this topic, but I've had enough of it. Everyone who has something to say has said it at least five times (me included) and if every repeated point was deleted the topic would be three pages long. I'm done.

[joey_big_nose]

Not sure I agree with that. Niell was one of the best right backs in the league in 2002/2003 so you could say he has just refound his form. And I would say that Bleeamy is a very skillful player, as is Tugay. One more would be nice though.

Hughes will turn out to be a much more successful manager than Souness. Not quite Ferguson or Wenger or Clough perhaps but definately seems to have resolve, a refined approach and an open mind.

[neekoy]

For every Van Nistelroy (sp), there's a Djemba Djemba, for every Shcmeichel,(sp) theres a Taibi (sp)!

That must make Ferguson a bad manager .

371616[/snapback]

At least Ferguson realised his mistakes and sold them off.

People are sentimental because he was the manager when were promoted, but any half decent manager at the time could've done it with the talent we had.

The squad we had at promotion and the year following was a top 6 team, with or without Souness.

I still to this day have never seen anything astute in the tactical nouse of the man. If Tugay hadn't been playing for Rangers and Friedel hadn't played for Liverpool and Galatasary then I don't think he would have signed them.

[philipl]

"Please Mr Fat Fredie, sir, please don't sack me."

Comments about continuity are a bit sick coming from a man who has picked so many rows with his players.

[Duff's Minder]

I was about to make yet another post on this topic, but I've had enough of it. Everyone who has something to say has said it at least five times (me included) and if every repeated point was deleted the topic would be three pages long. I'm done.

371813[/snapback]

Hey! I only got to say my bit twice! I would like to state for the record a third and final time that Souness was v good and then he was very bad and I for one get no pleasure from his latest balls-up.

[USABlue]

Not sure I agree with that. Niell was one of the best right backs in the league in 2002/2003 so you could say he has just refound his form.

371886[/snapback]

Interesting to note though that both of Neill's best years have come when he just about to negotiate new contracts!!!!

As for Souness whatever his shortcomings as a Manager he still has a persona, I enjoy listening to him, perhaps he has a future as a used car Salesman. He has some valid points, how could would Hughes be if we had to carry the injury list that Souness has had to deal with. The look on Souey's face seemed to depict that the job is wearing on him somewhat.

Edited January 6, 2006 by USABlue

[mjs]

I think the question is why so many injuries?

Poor training and preparation perhaps?

Just for the record Souness left us in the mire, but I will never forget his contribution in winning us promotion and the Worthy Cup, and getting UEFA Cup qualification. These are achievements he should always be fondly remembered for, and also reasons why he shouldn't get the stick he gets when he comes back to Ewood.

[rover6]

Ahh.... good to hear the absconded Lady Luck being being talked about again. She may be gone but clearly absence makes Souey's heart grow fonder.

Personally, I much prefer the inscrutable Hughes uttering his mantra with his left eye-brow raised, 'We were excellent from start to finish'. He says it a lot.

[Flopsy]

did he say it after the pompey game - and if so was his tounge in his cheek?

[James No. 7]

'Fess up. Who wrote in to F365?!

Telling Souey

Note to all Newcastle fans. Graham Souness said, and I quote, "I'm here, I’ll remain here until somebody else tells me differently".

Now I know its probably just getting him on a technicality, but he hasn't specified who he's waiting to tell him. I suggest Newcastle fans use this loophole which Graham has created and tell him differently, before he signs Lorenzo Amoruso to partner Boumsong at the heart of your comedy double act, I mean central defence.

Gavin Kirwan, Ireland

http://www.football365.com/opinion/mailbox/story_173409.shtml

[T4E]

Probably Flopsy, he's never been able to spell Graeme.

[philipl]

Dragging on a bit now.

[Bobby G]

He is a goner.

Shame as I would have liked to have faced him one more time with Blackburn.

[Paul]

The idea of Allardyce moving to Newcastle strikes me as quite bizarre. I suppose it's a question of failing to understand the mentality of a football manager. Presuming he does go I'd have to ask the question why? Newcastle have become a joke club, largely due to the chairman and the fans, neither of whom help the club's image.

Allardyce seems to be in a secure job, performing well in many directions, increasing gates, improved "status" in the PL. Why on earth give up all this to manage a club with no extra money available, huge expectations and very little potential to succeed. I suppose money must be at the root of this should Allardyce move. It can't be ambition as there is more possibility to fulfill one's potential at Bolton. Surely Shepherd hasn't convinced him the Toon can be changed overnight?

Perhaps I lack ambition but if I were in his shoes I would stay at the Reebok.

[Alan75]

Should Sam go, could it be due to nature of the game today, where it is run by the media and the so called big clubs.

Maybe Sam wants a final pay day before he retires from management and becomes another tv pundit.

[joey_big_nose]

The idea of Allardyce moving to Newcastle strikes me as quite bizarre. I suppose it's a question of failing to understand the mentality of a football manager. Presuming he does go I'd have to ask the question why? Newcastle have become a joke club, largely due to the chairman and the fans, neither of whom help the club's image.

Allardyce seems to be in a secure job, performing well in many directions, increasing gates, improved "status" in the PL. Why on earth give up all this to manage a club with no extra money available, huge expectations and very little potential to succeed. I suppose money must be at the root of this should Allardyce move. It can't be ambition as there is more possibility to fulfill one's potential at Bolton. Surely Shepherd hasn't convinced him the Toon can be changed overnight?

Perhaps I lack ambition but if I were in his shoes I would stay at the Reebok.

372217[/snapback]

I would imagine the opportunity to manage players of the quality of Owen, Shearer, Parker, Emre, Luque, Solano and Dyer would be more than a small drawing factor.

Plus if he manages to make them perform he has a team that can realistically expect to qualify for the CL regularly.

[philipl]

It is a differentg job to the one Souness took.

1) He can push Fat Freddie around with FF having f'ed up sacking Robson who was a success and appointing Souness who wasn't.

2) He's seen what Hughes has done following Souness at Rovers and knows he can get a similar improvement from the existing squad at Newcastle. I bet Hughes copied some of the things Sam has done at Wanderers when he got Rovers fit.

3) The Shearer legend is a bit tarnished so Sam can be his own man at Newcastle- Shearer can only be the Prince in Waiting so long and he's waited too long.

4) No Geordie expectations this season- they are all crocked!

5) He inherits the best squad outside Chelsea if he gets some defenders (and he doesn't need a big chequebook to do that- our defence cost a grand total of £3m if you forget about Amo and Vresko and is one of the best around).

Where can he go from here at Bolton?- every season he has to comb the scrapheaps of the world and its not getting any easier as the world has learnt how to copy him. He was genuinely frustrated at his inability to make the signings he wanted this summer.

Allardyce to Newcastle is bad news for the rest of the Prem including Rovers. Souness to Newcastle was bad news for Newcastle but great for the rest of the Prem and a double bubble helping of fantastic news for Rovers (£1.3m compensation for a crap management team and we got Bellamy cheap!)

Edited January 7, 2006 by philipl

[broadsword]

I'm just wondering how many people (Janice Two-Brains-One-Large-Ego aside) were slating Graeme Souness when he took us up, gave us a League Cup and into Europe twice in a row?

Yes, his spell here ended in failure (not unusual for a mangerial reign); but he enjoyed considerable success too.

For me it was like two separate reigns. The first where he could do no wrong, moulded a brilliant, entertaining team, every signing he made was quality. Then after the Duff sale, his evil Burnley-supporting twin took over and narked it all up. Graeme's currently sunning himself somewhere with Dale, while his twin shags up Noocassel.

So to start claiming he is a complete buffoon who's never done any right is to take the partisanship fans are known for to the extreme. A bit sad, really.

And I'll think you'll find that Saunders and Wright were two of his best signings for Liverpool. He definitely likes spending other people's money, and like every other manager, has a chequered transfer record.

Istvan Kozma, though! Ouch!

[mrsjansen]

Iwasn't happy when Souness arrived, think what you want but in our household only my brother supported his appointment. Wasn't happy when he was here, yes he won us promotion and the carling cup, but after that there was no ambition except to stay up season in season out, he even said so his self. It's nice to have a manager whos sole objective of the season is to get into europe. So i wasn't happy when he was appointed and was happy when he left. Blackburn Rovers started to look forward that day.

[John]

Guys - get real. Souness signed a lot of the players who have performed well for us. He did well for us and we even won a trophy under him.

Ok he left us in a mess but thankfully we got out of it and we are looking strong again and overall it has worked out well.