Souness must go ?

[Tris]

'semi-detatched and dispondent.'

Exactly how he came across Clive.

Perhaps this is why (from the LET)

However, Souness then received a call at 2pm on Saturday afternoon -- an hour before Rovers' game with Manchester City -- to say that McBride wanted to open talks with Fulham.

[Clive]

I honestly think we are probably going to be relegated this season. I went through a bit of blind panic during November/December, when it was spectacularly awful. However now, Blackburn Rovers Football Club seems to be a real nowhere club that is sinking without any hope. No obvious possibilities of a player coming in to get things going, whilst the players available struggle against everyone.

If McBride does sign for Fulham, I will be annoyed. I hope he fails there if he does go.

[Jordan]

I honestly think we are probably going to be relegated this season. I went through a bit of blind panic during November/December, when it was spectacularly awful. However now, Blackburn Rovers Football Club seems to be a real nowhere club that is sinking without any hope. No obvious possibilities of a player coming in to get things going, whilst the players available struggle against everyone.

If McBride does sign for Fulham, I will be annoyed. I hope he fails there if he does go.

Leeds are down already and you are saying we are worse than Wolves and Pompy. I think not, with the the players we have and the experiece we have we will not go down.

BRFC Supporters still think we are a Big Club with big ambitions and put their expectations far too highly, when really we are a mid-table team who are always looking to escape relegation each season.

[super_neill]

I agree our expectations have been higher this season because we got into europe last year. People saying that we will go down though are wrong Leeds have no chance of staying up Wolves will go down and we are good enough to beat the other teams below us

[Morph]

Sad that we are now reduced to hoping that we only prove to be the fourth worst team in the Premiership. Regarding Jordan's point about doing better than expected last season, I don't really see it as a valid excuse for what is going on at the moment. A lot of smaller clubs struggle after a successful season because they are strip mined of talent by their bigger competitors before the start of the next campaign. Other than losing Duff and flogging Pie Boy to Brum, that hasn't really happened to us, and money was made available to bring in replacements, so in theory we should be fielding a squad of similar standard to last year, rather than the pub team in disguise we send out most weeks. On paper we still have a good team, just a pity we can't play our matches on a large sheet of A4. The McBride saga just serves to illustrate how far we have sunk, and how quickly. From signing Emerton in the summer (then being talked about as one of the most desirable midfielders in Europe, remember those days?) to not signing a 31 year old MLS player (no disrespect intended) because, frankly, Fulham look a better prospect at the moment, is depressing to say the least. Rovers are beginning to look like a ship which, if not actually already sinking, is certainly listing heavily to one side (but not the left side, obviously). Right, where did I put that shotgun again?

[rover6]

Leeds are down already and you are saying we are worse than Wolves and Pompy. I think not, with the the players we have and the experiece we have we will not go down.

Leeds are not down already.

None of the clubs are going to accept relegation lightly - they'll all scrap.

And if we're not prepared to scrap we can go down.

[roversWASmylife]

Know where did I hear similar things before?

It was 1999, during the era`s of Hodgson and Kidd, where everyone said that we were too "good" to go down. If we were too "good"  to go down, then we would have stayed up surely wouldn`t have we?

The main fact is, there`s probably only three / four teams who are guarenteed safety. The league is probably split up into three categories. Top three, mid table and relegation dog fight. At the moment, anyone from 8th place to the bottom could go down. It only takes someone like Fulham, to lose 3/4 games and they`re back in the relegation area, who`s to say someone like Wolves won`t go on a 3 game win streak.

Anyone is capable of beating anyone now.

We can go down, although we can stay up.

Let`s not speak too soon.

[92er]

I think we definitely need to concentrate on getting 40 points and not count on teams below us doing worse than normal. That means we need to win a minimum of 4 games.5 would be better. We've won 1 in 8 so it's still a big ask.

[1864roverite]

okay we need 5 wins to achieve safety ?

lets see

must win games as follows :

leeds

leicester

southampton

portsmouth

birmingham

away games where we may get something#

everton

spurs

boro

villa

spurs

charlton

games where we can expect nil points

manure

liverpool

arsenal

chelsea

newcastle

fulham

40 points seems a heck of a long way off to me and I am one who has not until now considered the thought of relegation.

[graysmark]

Relegation is a frightening thought, most would agree, and although we're not in a relegation position at this moment in time, it is not a threat that should be ignored.  At the moment, we're only three points clear of the dreaded zone, and even if that were still to be the case on the last day of the season, we could still go down.  It would seem that the way we are playing at the moment is something that will not improve dramitically until next season perhaps, where we can start afresh.

However, lets just consider the thought of relegation for a moment.  Last time we were relegated, we were in possesion of numerous players, who were by and large, stealing money from the club left right and centre.  This time however, we do not have this influx of also ran players, and should there be a need to sell to reduce cost, then we would not be in such a critical financial position as last time.  Having accomodated for a season in Div 1 financially, we could then turn our attention to our younger players, who at this stage would surely be getting a look in after the present team had left.  This is something that we did last time we were relegated to an extent, one which numerous clubs have done in the past, Charlton springing to mind most recently.  With this influx of Youth Players playing in the first team, not only would we have a far leaner ship in as much as wage bills were concerned, but we could also find ourself in a similar position as last time, namely with another trio of Gems with which to tackle the premiership afresh.  And perhaps this time, we could handle it slightly better, and manage to keep them in their prime form, and playing at our beloved club.

[Eddie]

We aren't going to be relegated.

[graysmark]

We aren't going to be relegated.

Oh sorry, did i miscalculate something and its impossible for us to be relegated?

Nope just checked twice again, and we're still only 3 points above the relegation zone with 48 points still to play for.

[Roaming Rover]

okay we need 5 wins to achieve safety ?

lets see

must win games as follows :

leeds

leicester

southampton

portsmouth

birmingham

away games where we may get something#

everton

spurs

boro

villa

spurs

charlton

games where we can expect nil points

manure

liverpool

arsenal

chelsea

newcastle

fulham

40 points seems a heck of a long way off to me and I am one who has not until now considered the thought of relegation.

But you it would be know typical Rovers will get somthing from the Chelsea's and Arsenal's of this world and nothing from Pompy and Leeds.

We've got the talent to stay up but have we got the desire???

[Dr Rich]

I agree our expectations have been higher this season because we got into europe last year. People saying that we will go down though are wrong Leeds have no chance of staying up Wolves will go down and we are good enough to beat the other teams below us

Well thats our death warrant signed, too good to go down  

I've heard a rant like that before....

[SuperStella]

<< Souness Managerial Record >>

[Ste B]

<< Souness Managerial Record >>

Interesting..

Statistically almost identical to his record at Liverpool.

[jim mk2]

<< Souness Managerial Record >>

Interesting..

Statistically almost identical to his record at Liverpool.

The difference is Liverpool fans regard him as a disaster as a manager whereas (some) Rovers supporters see him as the greatest manager in the history of the club.

I found this on a Liverpool website:

"After nearly five years at Ibrox and numerous domestic trophies, Souness arrived at Anfield in the Spring of 1991 in the wake of Kenny Dalglish's decision to step down and after Ronnie Moran had filled the position as caretaker-manager.

"Graeme bought and sold with the same almost reckless approach he had shown in Scotland but what might have worked north of the border did not have the same effect in England."  

"Souness was sacked in January 1994 after the FA Cup 3rd round defeat to Second Division Bolton Wanderers coupled with an alarming slump in League form."

Sound familiar? It was the same story at Rangers. Souness enjoys playing the transfer market, which is why he grabbed the £17 million on offer for Duff to spend on new signings.

It will be interesting to see what happens if he does not sign anyone in the transfer window. Perhaps he will have to motivate and organise better his existing squad, which is what being a manager is really all about.

[Jan]

The difference is Liverpool fans regard him as a disaster as a manager whereas (some) Rovers supporters see him as the greatest manager in the history of the club.

I found this on a Liverpool website:

"After nearly five years at Ibrox and numerous domestic trophies, Souness arrived at Anfield in the Spring of 1991 in the wake of Kenny Dalglish's decision to step down and after Ronnie Moran had filled the position as caretaker-manager.

"Graeme bought and sold with the same almost reckless approach he had shown in Scotland but what might have worked north of the border did not have the same effect in England."  

"Souness was sacked in January 1994 after the FA Cup 3rd round defeat to Second Division Bolton Wanderers coupled with an alarming slump in League form."

Jim

AS ever, you're absolutely right.  So is the liverpool fan.

[1864roverite]

forgive me jim

but I think that souey turned rangers totally around and left them at the top of the tree, I know cause I lived opposite the ground for a while

[Paul]

okay we need 5 wins to achieve safety ?

lets see

must win games as follows :

leeds

leicester

southampton

portsmouth

birmingham

40 points seems a heck of a long way off to me and I am one who has not until now considered the thought of relegation.

I wrote a very similar post at the beginning of November with the Leicester, Everton, Spurs, Birmingham, Aston Villa and Boro games in mind - we got 10 points out of 18.

Regretably I think we need another 19 or 20 points to be SURE of safety and I don't see where those 20 points will come from. Leeds, Leicester, Portsmouth (all home) and Villa (A) are absolute must win games and that's still only 12 points.

Chelsea, Newcastle, Charlton, Arsenal, Southampton, Liverpool and Man Utd are take anyhting we can get but don't hold your breath.

Leaving us needing to take 9 points off Boro, Fulham, Everton, Spurs and Birmingham.

Tough going? The only thing in our favour at the moment is that Wolves and Leeds are probably dead; Pompey and Leicester can't take advantgae of our poor form; Man City may just be about to go into free-fall (please God). If we stay up I feel it will be because of others failing and not our positive move away from the drop zone.

Personally I started to consider relegation after the Villa debacle.

[Paul]

The worst thing right now is to have a manager who is semi-detatched and dispondent.

We all have low periods at work and know what helps us get through them. I was just thinking how on earth do you gee yourself up as a football manager?

[Alan75]

That your players show they care, they give you some respect by going out and fighting for the cause.

[USABlue]

The worst thing right now is to have a manager who is semi-detatched and dispondent.

We all have low periods at work and know what helps us get through them. I was just thinking how on earth do you gee yourself up as a football manager?

Why you just have a look at your Paycheck, smile and say gee up I'm on a doddle here.

[Finch]

I taped our game on the Premiership on Sunday and watched it again last night.

It struck me how miserable Souness sounded. He was talking about having to take a look at what he'd done when it gets to the end of the season and it occurred to me that maybe he's considering packing it in.

Is he on his way out?  

[bob fleming]

The worst thing right now is to have a manager who is semi-detatched and dispondent.

We all have low periods at work and know what helps us get through them. I was just thinking how on earth do you gee yourself up as a football manager?

Why you just have a look at your Paycheck, smile and say gee up I'm on a doddle here.

You could also say to yourself - "Well they could always sack me - but they'd have to pay my contract up - and then I could go and work for Sky full time - I'd be quids in" - if you really wanted, that might cheer some managers up, but maybe not Souness.