[Archived] Graeme Souness

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Nicko

Most of the time I respect your opinion, but you will never know the feeling of being on a plane to Sofia and opening the Daily Mail (it was the only manageable-sized paper available on planes back then) and seeing a two page spread with Souness saying how Europe wasn't important, and how he'd rather spend the time having dinner with his wife.

Or watching us winning 3-0 in that game, only for him to take off Tugay and leave a space in the middle so big that you could drive a bus through it (or let them score 3), while David Thompson and Brett Emerton tripped over each other on the right touchline. I will never be convinced he didn't try to throw that game.

Or watch the pathetic way he goaded the Celtic fans at Parkhead when Rovers fans sang "Souness, Souness give us a wave- not waving at us but shaking two fists at the Celtic fans behind him. At least St Martin and John Hartson, who were standing close waiting for Hartson to join the fray, saw it, and about 2 minutes later Hartson put in the header to allow Henke to score.

No, Souness left a bad taste with a lot of people who were very glad to see the back of him.

Most objective Rovers fans agree that Souness had lost the plot at the end but we also remember him for saving Duff, Dunn and Jansen's rovers careers, 2-0 and 5-0 against Burnley, promotion at PNE and the Worthington Cup Final, finishing 6th by winning 4-0 at Spurs, beating Arsenal at highbury and dancing down the touchline at Bolton. Add to that friedel and tugay. Not too bad eh!

[Mr. E]

Graeme Souness built a team that played entertaining football until fate took Duff, Jensen and a combination of Dunn and himself away.

Unfortunately football also started to evolve and left both Rovers and Souness behind. A parting of the ways was inevitable.

It is probably a blessing that the memories of an entertaining team cannot be tarnished any further by todays sorry excuse of a squad.

Thanks for the memories, Greame.

I don't see us playing such good football again anywhere in the near future, unfortunately. It was nice to be able to boast we had such exciting players life Duff...

[Paul Mellelieu]

I loved Souness and in particular his antics at Celtic Park. He has charisma in spades and the period he was in charge was far more exciting than the Hughes years. But......... he did lose interest when the money ran out and I was worried that without a transfer budget he wouldn't get as much from the players as BFS. It was close though.

[Brownie]

The acid test for any manager is whether he leaves the club in a better position than when he came. Both financially and on the playing field.

Souness emphatically succeeded on both counts.

As did Mark Hughes.

Anyone stupid enough to come on here slagging off our successful managers are just idiots, and cannot put their pathetic ignorances and grudges aside when attempting to give considered opinions.

Graeme Souness's years provided the 2nd and 3rd best days of my Rovers supporting life.

Preston and Cardiff, is there really a need for debate ?

[LeChuck]

We were playing Dominic Matteo as a make shift left winger before Souness left. Dominic Matteo for goodness sake!

In Souness' third-to-last game as manager we started off with Matteo on the left wing and an aging Garry Flitcroft on the right! They make Pedersen and Emerton seem like Giggs and Ronaldo.

[jim mk2]

The acid test for any manager is whether he leaves the club in a better position than when he came. Both financially and on the playing field.

Souness emphatically succeeded on both counts.

Eh ? Souness left Rovers where he found us - at the bottom.

[LeChuck]

Eh ? Souness left Rovers where he found us - at the bottom.

...of the division above.

Souness did a great job, but he definitely left at the right time. If he'd been given another 12 months or so we probably would have ended up right back where we started.

[Hasta]

Eh ? Souness left Rovers where he found us - at the bottom.

Go on Jim. Please explain.

[Brownie]

Eh ? Souness left Rovers where he found us - at the bottom.

Alzheimer's ?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Go on Jim. Please explain.

He'd a reputation for causing trouble in an empty house, I remember us playing Fulham away and Hakan Sukor gave a master class in centre forward play leading us to a great win. Next match , the Red Rats at O.T. what does he do ? Drops Sukor and brings in that bone idle toe-rag Dwight Yorke who does sweet F.A. all game. Sukor was never the same player for us again.

[allrovertheworld]

He'd a reputation for causing trouble in an empty house, I remember us playing Fulham away and Hakan Sukor gave a master class in centre forward play leading us to a great win. Next match , the Red Rats at O.T. what does he do ? Drops Sukor and brings in that bone idle toe-rag Dwight Yorke who does sweet F.A. all game. Sukor was never the same player for us again.

Hakan never actually played for us he was a dream magical figure that apeared scored three goals and then left.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

I don't see us playing such good football again anywhere in the near future, unfortunately. It was nice to be able to boast we had such exciting players life Duff...

They were exciting times but they are in the past.

Now it is time for survival and not pretty football. It is a shame but thats reality.

[rover6]

WHen in doubt, take the mean of the whole set of results.

Whilst never 100% accurate in assessing anything, it's a useful gauge.

Look at Souness' managerial career in its entirety.

He has been a failure at too many clubs to be considered a decent boss. Only at Rangers and for a spell at Rovers was he a real success. Benfica and Gala spells can't be commented on as we don't know the details (he got the chop at both clubs, I believe).

Nicko is a friendly and, at times, dependent acquaintance of Souey. Nicko's judgment here has been irreparably compromised.

[Brownie]

WHen in doubt, take the mean of the whole set of results.

Whilst never 100% accurate in assessing anything, it's a useful gauge.

Look at Souness' managerial career in its entirety.

He has been a failure at too many clubs to be considered a decent boss. Only at Rangers and for a spell at Rovers was he a real success. Benfica and Gala spells can't be commented on as we don't know the details (he got the chop at both clubs, I believe).

Nicko is a friendly and, at times, dependent acquaintance of Souey. Nicko's judgment here has been irreparably compromised.

Have you disappeared up your own backside ?

[dingles staying down 4ever]

WHen in doubt, take the mean of the whole set of results.

Whilst never 100% accurate in assessing anything, it's a useful gauge.

Look at Souness' managerial career in its entirety.

He has been a failure at too many clubs to be considered a decent boss. Only at Rangers and for a spell at Rovers was he a real success. Benfica and Gala spells can't be commented on as we don't know the details (he got the chop at both clubs, I believe).

Nicko is a friendly and, at times, dependent acquaintance of Souey. Nicko's judgment here has been irreparably compromised.

Not bothered about his time at other clubs.

He was a good manager at Rovers but things had began to turn sour. A great manager knows when it is time to get out unfortunately for Greame he left it a season too late.

[rover6]

To put it simply, Souness was and is a demagogue - a conceited Kevin Keegan.

Which means, he had the charisma and eloquence to inspire footballers, at times. But, when the players got beyond the brash words and style, they saw the truth of his unintelligence, manifested in his tactical ineptitude.

I genuinely think that Paul Ince is a more intelligent man. However, Ince clearly lacks the confidence and charisma to inspire Premier League footballers.

[mjs]

Graeme Souness's years provided the 2nd and 3rd best days of my Rovers supporting life.

Preston and Cardiff, is there really a need for debate ?

I'll second that Brownie.

Fantastic memories for which Souness will always be held in high regard by me.

[tony gale's mic]

I genuinely think that Paul Ince is a more intelligent man. However, Ince clearly lacks the confidence and charisma to inspire Premier League footballers.

No, just no. And I don't think he had that many problems with confidence.

[nicko]

Nicko

Most of the time I respect your opinion, but you will never know the feeling of being on a plane to Sofia and opening the Daily Mail (it was the only manageable-sized paper available on planes back then) and seeing a two page spread with Souness saying how Europe wasn't important, and how he'd rather spend the time having dinner with his wife.

Or watching us winning 3-0 in that game, only for him to take off Tugay and leave a space in the middle so big that you could drive a bus through it (or let them score 3), while David Thompson and Brett Emerton tripped over each other on the right touchline. I will never be convinced he didn't try to throw that game.

Or watch the pathetic way he goaded the Celtic fans at Parkhead when Rovers fans sang "Souness, Souness give us a wave- not waving at us but shaking two fists at the Celtic fans behind him. At least St Martin and John Hartson, who were standing close waiting for Hartson to join the fray, saw it, and about 2 minutes later Hartson put in the header to allow Henke to score.

No, Souness left a bad taste with a lot of people who were very glad to see the back of him.

Sorry, been doing something else for an hour or so.

That's scary. The Mail article was mine.

However Graeme's point - and he was never scared to admit it - was that Europe was secondary to the Premier League.

I was in Sofia. He was so livid about the result that he refused to speak after.

For three days...the guy was and is very real.

Not bothered about his time at other clubs.

He was a good manager at Rovers but things had began to turn sour. A great manager knows when it is time to get out unfortunately for Greame he left it a season too late.

He did know when to get out.

And he took it.

To put it simply, Souness was and is a demagogue - a conceited Kevin Keegan.

Which means, he had the charisma and eloquence to inspire footballers, at times. But, when the players got beyond the brash words and style, they saw the truth of his unintelligence, manifested in his tactical ineptitude.

I genuinely think that Paul Ince is a more intelligent man. However, Ince clearly lacks the confidence and charisma to inspire Premier League footballers.

I was going to reply to that.

But I can't stop laughing long enough to type.

[tony gale's mic]

Nicko I'll always say Souey did a great job for us even though it was time for him to leave by the end, but how do you explain his performances at Liverpool, Southampton, Benfica, Newcastle...

[jim mk2]

o

He did know when to get out.

Before he was sacked.

Souness was deserving of the bullet as much as Ince.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Souness turned us down according to this: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...se-1202173.html

[RevidgeBlue]

o

Before he was sacked.

Souness was deserving of the bullet as much as Ince.

Exactly.

Souness was brilliant for us in winning promotion and I wouldn't have a word said against him at that stage.

However, from a very strong position, he subsequently dragged the Club to the point of oblivion by the end of his tenure.

And if he hadn't "chosen his time to get out" he would surely have been sacked a few games later.

Souness turned us down according to this: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...se-1202173.html

Bit worrying to read the Board actually prefered Souness to Allardyce - maybe they aren't as smart as we thought.

Also worrying to read Allardyce was less demanding on the funding front - which tends to suggest he will offload RSC and trade using the proceeds.

Hope that article is wrong on both counts.

[philipl]

Exactly.

Souness was brilliant for us in winning promotion and I wouldn't have a word said against him at that stage.

However, from a very strong position, he subsequently dragged the Club to the point of oblivion by the end of his tenure.

And if he hadn't "chosen his time to get out" he would surely have been sacked a few games later.

AGREED

Bit worrying to read the Board actually prefered Souness to Allardyce - maybe they aren't as smart as we thought.

Also worrying to read Allardyce was less demanding on the funding front - which tends to suggest he will offload RSC and trade using the proceeds.

Hope that article is wrong on both counts.

I think the article is wrong on all counts.

The reality could well be though that your mate Incey got a couple of games more than was good for us because the Board had differing opinions as to the successor.

[CrazyIvan]

I love the way some people write revisionist history of Souness reign as manager. He was a good manager for Rovers, no-one can deny that. What rankled with a lot of fans was Dunn and that counted against him, not that I disagreed with his move...

I've met the man and I like him. He does not suffer fools gladly