Souness on Rovers

[broadsword]

Amazing days. Before things went a bit south, I always felt that we were in safe hands with him, particularly that he was someone who really understood the club. There was no fear of him taking the derby lightly. Here's how the BBC reported it at the time:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sport/football/677027.stm

"Graeme Souness is precisely the man we need and he can count on our full and unswerving support," Walker said.

"There is a big job to be done here and I believe we have found the right man to do it."

And also here is a quote that I remember him making at the time:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2002/feb/24/sport.comment1

"'But this is a proper football club because of Jack Walker, it is not a club that relies on its share price, it is not a club that sold one end to a supermarket.'"

Now compare and contrast to the absolute sh*tshow we have had for 12 years or more. Owners who won't even come to the games any more, they certainly don't bother issuing statements. Managers who couldn't care less about the club, and can't even be arsed to hide it (I'm looking at you, Mowbray).

 

I miss those days in so many ways. But most of all, I miss us having an owner who cared, and knew what he was doing.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

On 08/10/2022 at 02:54, damo100 said:

I was there for the dinner and thought Souness was quite emotional in his speech and praise of his time here.

 

Did he get the great reception he deserved?...hope to God he did.

[broadsword]

I remember being at a game at spurs, can't remember which year this was. 

Souness on the touchline, immaculately dressed. For some reason the expensive brown shoes stick in the mind. The decisions weren't going our way. Christ, did he ever go mad. He was seething. The crowd responded with due appreciation. 

 

SOOOOOOOOOU-NESSSSSSSSSS! 

 

Most of our managers party venkys looked like they got dressed in the dark. Bowyer wore a suit, but he really did look like he'd been down burtons in a sale. Souness though, wow. You could tell he'd lived in Italy, put it that way

Edited October 10, 2022 by broadsword

[den]

There are certain people/pundits in all sports that just demand respect for their views. People who have been at the very top and done it all. Real sportsmen. Sportsmen who have given everything in their time to the sport.

I could have listened all day to Shane Warne. I could have listened all day to Cloughie. That doesn’t mean to say I agreed with absolutely everything they ever said or did - but for whatever reason they could only be respected for what they’d done.

Souey is in that group for me. I could listen to him all day too.

[Mattyblue]

Michael Johnson on BBC athletics/Olympics coverage is another.

Real gravitas.

[oldjamfan1]

McEnroe in the tennis is another one.

[Upside Down]

19 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

McEnroe in the tennis is another one.

YOU CAN NOT BE SERIOUS?!?!?!?!

[Ianrally]

22 hours ago, den said:

There are certain people/pundits in all sports that just demand respect for their views. People who have been at the very top and done it all. Real sportsmen. Sportsmen who have given everything in their time to the sport.

I could have listened all day to Shane Warne. I could have listened all day to Cloughie. That doesn’t mean to say I agreed with absolutely everything they ever said or did - but for whatever reason they could only be respected for what they’d done.

Souey is in that group for me. I could listen to him all day too.

Two of my all time sporting hero’s you’ve mentioned there Den. I was really upset when I got the news of Warne’s sudden death, and this for a man who normally took us apart on the cricket field. Similar with Cloughie, I always hated Leeds but even more so after the way they treated Clough. 

[damo100]

On 10/10/2022 at 13:50, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Did he get the great reception he deserved?...hope to God he did.

Yes he did, very popular figure at Rovers.

Big shame of the night was that Tugay couldn't attend. 

[broadsword]

Amazing you see that Graeme is swimming the channel to raise awareness for DEBRA and particularly Isla.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65664357

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with that. 

[Mike E]

6 minutes ago, broadsword said:

Amazing you see that Graeme is swimming the channel to raise awareness for DEBRA and particularly Isla.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65664357

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with that. 

That video! Never seen such a hard bastard get so emotional. What a thoroughly decent man he is.

[tomphil]

He nearly had me going watching that never seen him so emotional it's not a trait you associate with him and his nerves of steel.

What a brave kid as well.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, broadsword said:

Amazing you see that Graeme is swimming the channel to raise awareness for DEBRA and particularly Isla.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65664357

I can't imagine how difficult it must be to live with that. 

When my mum was pregnant with my sister she had mate who was going to give birth at the roughly the same time. Her mates pregnancy went on longer than the normal 9 months and when the child was eventually born she was suffering from that horrible condition. She was one of the first recognised cases, if not the first. The poor kid suffered terribly and died quite young. The was in the early 1960’s when the treatment hardly existed.

[ben_the_beast]

He's a top bloke is Souness and this shows it. He's got a good heart, he's passionate and I could listen to him talk about football all day long. The wheels may have come off at the end but he's by far my favourite Rovers manager. 

[BigUts]

22 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

When my mum was pregnant with my sister she had mate who was going to give birth at the roughly the same time. Her mates pregnancy went on longer than the normal 9 months and when the child was eventually born she was suffering from that horrible condition. She was one of the first recognised cases, if not the first. The poor kid suffered terribly and died quite young. The was in the early 1960’s when the treatment hardly existed.

That's tragic for all concerned.

Perhaps something could be done amongst Rovers fans as a collective to raise some cash and donate as one so Souness knows its from us?

[broadsword]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

When my mum was pregnant with my sister she had mate who was going to give birth at the roughly the same time. Her mates pregnancy went on longer than the normal 9 months and when the child was eventually born she was suffering from that horrible condition. She was one of the first recognised cases, if not the first. The poor kid suffered terribly and died quite young. The was in the early 1960’s when the treatment hardly existed.

Yeah, that hurts to read that. Imagine a child having to go through that, particularly with no pain relief. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Edited May 23, 2023 by broadsword

[alcd]

Souness has the best record of any Rovers manager. Promotion to PL in first full season after taking over a shambles. Winning (Worthingtons) League Cup . Top Six finish qualifying for Europe. 

[Upside Down]

1 hour ago, alcd said:

Souness has the best record of any Rovers manager. Promotion to PL in first full season after taking over a shambles. Winning (Worthingtons) League Cup . Top Six finish qualifying for Europe. 

No that's Dalglish, Souness is second and is by far my favourite. I'll never forget when he called the referee a clown. 

Besides, that's the modern era. The most successful manager is probably Robert Middleton who managed the two league title wins in 1911/12 and 1913/14.

[47er]

1 hour ago, alcd said:

Souness has the best record of any Rovers manager. Promotion to PL in first full season after taking over a shambles. Winning (Worthingtons) League Cup . Top Six finish qualifying for Europe. 

He spent a lot of money though which Hughes didn't have and he was definitely taking us down when he left for Newcastle.

Hughes had us in top 6 on much tighter resources and we had some terrific Cup runs.

Not to downplay Souness' time at Ewood at all but he'd definitely lost it when (or before) he left.

Best record of any Rovers manager is an opinion, which I know many people share, but its not a fact.

I agree with above post factually and statistically that record belongs to Dalglish but then you come back to money and Dalglish  had it in sackfuls!

Edited May 23, 2023 by 47er

[jim mk2]

Souness had well and truly lost the plot by the end of his time at Ewood and should have been sacked before he eventually jumped ship, saving Williams making a hard decision

Good manager for us though and gave us some great times... the promotion year, the Uefa Cup run with those 2 unforgettable ties with Celtic and the fantastic day out in Cardiff when we upset the Spurs luvvies

In an interview with the LET (??) not that long ago it's clear that he loved his time at Ewood and has a genuine affection for the club. Great football man too - love listening to him on TV and the wireless

[booth]

He seemed to lose it thanks to Yorke and Barry Ferguson.

Other than that he was a brilliant manager for us, one of the best. I'd welcome him back.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/debraswim

[47er]

49 minutes ago, booth said:

He seemed to lose it thanks to Yorke and Barry Ferguson.

Other than that he was a brilliant manager for us, one of the best. I'd welcome him back.

I'd welcome Hughes back but not Dalgllsh---he can only function with massive financial backing.

As for Souness, he's 70, poor buggers suffered enough!

[simongarnerisgod]

i absolutely adored souness time here,you genuinly looked forward to games because you knew it was attacking football played with 100% commitment,some of his antics were top as well

calling graeme poll a spurs fan

chasing the linesman down the touchline at wigan

calling the ref "minging" against middlesborough

 

[bluebruce]

Everyone used to hang around in the concourse after the game to hear Souey speak, especially if the ref had done us over! No other Rovers manager has or will talk to the press that bluntly with that much passion.

It started to go off the boil near the end, and it hurt a little that he jumped to Newcastle (even if we knew it wasn't working for him at Ewood anymore), but he is well up there with the modern great managers at the club. Promotion, cup win, top six finishing, passion...and he brought in Tugay (1.3 mill) and Friedel (free), and got the best out of Duff. Three of the greatest players in our history, and definitely the three greatest since the title-winning team. He also brought in Hughes, without which we probably wouldn't have ended up with Hughes as our manager.

Souey was a vital part of our history.