Souness must go ?

[Blue blood]

The money has to be spent on a left sided midfielder, anyone can see it's upsetting the balance of the team. That gaping hole on the left is where a lot of the problems are being caused. If that was filled I reckon we'd score a fair few more, and perhaps more importantly for us keeping the number we let in down.

Most of the games I've seen the holes in the defence have come from the left midfielder not being where they're supposed to be drawing other players out of position or leading to the opposition ganging up on the left back.

It's the same going forward, attacks down the left side of the pitch are a problem, limiting our options. If we are to survive then surely any money available - and there should be some from reduced wages and money left over from the summer - must be spent on getting a decent left sided midfielder.

[FourLaneBlue]

Similarly the refusal to even countenance a bid for Sutton (three players in one) at £1.5m didn't make much sense either. Would have boosted attendances and morale for the rest of this season and if it had helped stem the inevitable haemmorage of season ticket renewals in the summer, the deal would have been self financing.

Why on earth would we bother to bid £1.5million for Sutton when Celtic would not sell him for anything like so derisory an amount? Why not bid tuppence for Ronaldo while we're at it?

[broadsword]

The money has to be spent on a left sided midfielder, anyone can see it's upsetting the balance of the team.

Olembe plays down the left.

[BRFC4EVA]

2 points,

First:- Olombe isnt coming to Rovers because souey doesnt want him to wait until the African nat cup is finished.

Second:- Sod Butt, he is a good enough player but not worth the 5.5m b'ham bid for him. We already have bazza

[92er]

Rev-isn't Sutton a 30-odd year old?

Tottenham seemed to be linked strongly with a 65 year old Italian-Trappatoni/

[Tris]

Doesn't really matter whether one person thinks we need Butt, another thinks we need a striker, another a left winger.

For once you are right.

It doesn't matter what anyone thinks, wants or needs.

I just find it more and more bizarre that you continue with meaningless speculation, and keep trying to pretend that Rovers can gamble with sums like 3 million quid.

That's half of one season's gate income at Rovers.  Stop deluding yourself.

[ihtd]

If Andy Reid is the player people are telling me he is, well we should sign him them. Regardless of his transfer fee, anyway Forrest are in debt aren't they so we could hold them to ransom.

Or we could wait until tommorow when Leeds hopefully go into administration and sign James Milner from them.

Now if Souness should do this his job would be safe as we would have a quality left winger and the balance of the team, would be restored.

I know both players are not the most experienced but they are both players for the future.

[Alan75]

Moderator mode

This topic is slowly becoming a duplicate Transfer Rumour Topic.

Like it not, it would appear that Souness will remain manager for the forseeable future.

Do we still need to continue with this topic.

[waggy]

yes because over the next few months it will be very intresting to see all you souness lovers finally come round and realise what he has done to our fantastic club.

[dave birch]

Waggy, whilst I think that the Souness era is coming to an end, He has done some seriously GOOD things for the Rovers.

My personal opinion is that he's taken us as far as he can, but he did well for the best part of his tenure at Ewood.

However.

Don't judge him on the season to date, results to come may make you regret your words, just as those that think he's the Bees' knees, may regret theirs.

I hope he goes out on a good note, taking us to safety, giving the Rovers plenty of time to get a suiteable replacement.

If he ever gets down under, I'll share a bottle of red with him, and thank him for his time at Ewood.

[broadsword]

Yeah, got rid of the deadwood, re-invigorated the club, instilled a proper sense of discipline, took us into Europe twice, won us a Cup, and got us promoted.

The man's a disaster!

Sack him now before he sends us into terminal decline!

[dave birch]

Indeed, Bryan, every one of those acheivements, made us all proud too.

We do seem to have hit the wall, don't we?

Don't get me wrong, I reckon Souness has been great for the Rovers, It's just that I think that he's (not lost the plot, that's too simplistic) got what it takes to get the current mob of players, players that he brought into the club, to function as a team, to play the game together. KD had the ability to gel players into a functioning unit, maybe he should have a word with him.

Maybe, Souness is having a bit of a bad trot, just as players do. I hope that that is the case. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than for OUR team to make a mockery of form to date by thrashing every team we play. Something, though, tells me, we'll continue to struggle; we'll make it, but only just....

[broadsword]

We certainly do seem to have hit a wall.

My own personal feeling is that we'll survive and GS will be manager next year.

Rather than insisting that that will be the case, my last post was more a case of wondering why Waggy is so negative about Souness, he seems to conveniently disregard the previous 3 seasons and will pick on anything to support his prophesy of doom.

I mean, how much credibility do Grabbi's comments have? Absolutely bollard all.

[dave birch]

Take your point, Bryan.

Re Grabbi, how different would things have been for him (and for Rovers supporters in general) had his goal against Manure and the clown, stood. I always felt it was a legitimate goal.

[Shaddy]

Yeah, got rid of the deadwood, re-invigorated the club, instilled a proper sense of discipline, took us into Europe twice, won us a Cup, and got us promoted.

The man's a disaster!

Sack him now before he sends us into terminal decline!

I feel this is the problem. He's over achieved, and now the level of expectation from elements of the club (including from what I am increasingly coming to believe, a set of supporters that are more cynical about their club than any others in this league) is too unrealistic.

I believe that Souness's comments about avoiding relegation being the milestone were exactly the level of expectation he had. I agree with that level of ambition. But he became a victim of his own success.

In our first season back, avoiding relegation was exactly what we were trying to do by mid-season, even with Duff and Dunn making regular starts. Not putting them down at all, the former is obviously an outstanding player, but I do recall many moaning on this mb about Duff's performance. Souness bought Cole into the club, and 10th and the league cup followed. Suddenly we became a club in Europe, and everyone upped their level of expectation.

Last season, Souness again made avoiding the drop the milestone, and was criticised by many for lacking ambition (including RevidgeBlue, quite forcefully). In my opinion, it was the right level of ambition. Again he made some astute signings, and we made 6th and Europe again.

Souness has been consistent with the avoiding relegation milestone, and he set it again this season, despite last seasons 6th placing. He's in the process of achieving this milestone with the club, and we stand a good chance of making it. Yet everyone wants him sacked now. Or thinks he's hit the wall.

The club has hit the wall. It is pushing to maintain the up'ed level of ambition, and that means it has really made itself financially vunerable. A transfer won't occur if the club cannot offer the player a good Premeir League wage, and yet we all feel that we need to keep bringing players in.

To me, it's not just about the playing staff at the club. There is more to it than that. I will be brave and say this. Imagine there was no promotion out of Division 1. Then I would expect Blackburn Rovers to be consistently challenging for the first division championship. With a good level of support, and the annual cash injection , it would be an acceptable level of expectation.

It just so happens that you get promoted into the Premier League if you are successful in that division. In my opinion, clubs of our stature should use the extra cash to adjust the existing player wages, and no more. Any additional progression should just be treated as a bonus. I think Rovers were tracking on this path, until our sudden success got us derailed. Charlton and Fulham appear to have followed the same path, and are only now climbing into the upper reaches of the league. It will be interesting to see how they will handle it. Admittedly, if Charlton pull of Champions League placement, that would be an incredible achievement that might set the club for many years in the PL.

Anyway, I've waffled on here. The main point is that I will be brave and say that I would rather see Rovers on a sound financial footing, bouncing up and down between PL and Div. One, then over-extending in some forlorn belief that success can be maintained. Oh, and also, that the only con I can place against Souness is that he is perhaps too ambitious for this plan of action.

[Blue blood]

Good post Shaddy.

Let's be honest, how many of us thought that we'd finish 6th last season?  Not sure about the bouncing between divisions - that could be too disruptive for the club, as players leave each time we go down.

There's nothing wrong with being ambitious but let's not get too disheartened if we don't reach the heights of the last two seasons every year.

[Gav]

I view this thread every 20 pages or so and nothing really changes.

I'm a big Souness fan myself because what he's done for our club over the past few years has been remarkable, especially after the Hodgson and Kidd eras.

I must admit that I’d possibly consider his position if we were the same club as we were 6yrs ago, but anyone wanting him out now has no idea about today’s game and the clubs financial position.

We've got a team built by the manger with little or no funds to strengthen. Sack the manager and pay him off and we'd have even less to see then season out never mind pay for a replacement.

You've got to cut your cloth and all that cr@p, sacking Souness would be suicide for Blackburn Rovers at this stage.

[Jan]

I actually agree with Gav.  Sacking him would just throw the season into even MORE disarray.  However, were he to fall on his sword, either literally or figuratively, I wouldn't mind at all.

[Flopsy]

There’s a surprise, well I would mind, Souness has done wonders for this club, since he came and people seem to have forgotten it, peoples ambitions have got bigger than the club can hope to achieve. Even if we get relegated souness should stay on and bring us back up as he did last time. We only have to look how fat Sam’s done at Bolton, or Dario Gradi at Crewe to realise that changing managers just when you have one bad season is not such a good idea.

[dave birch]

But Jan, what's, or rather, who, is the solution to the "problem"?

[damo gally]

But Jan, what's, or rather, who, is the solution to the "problem"?

Thats the million dollar question, people are quick to say get rid of Souness, or Im not bothered if he goes, but not one of them can come up with someone who would be suitable replacement. Oh sorry I forgot Paul Sturrock  

[1864roverite]

Souness is the solution

whats needed is a new business plan

a big overhaul of the club is required to prevent the current situation happening again and that involves

new training regime

new coach

addition to backroom staff

and finally

a big cup of lady luck  

[dave birch]

Damo, I must admit that I've got to the end of my "tether" with Souness. I was with him up to Christmas.

However, this is not the time of the season to be getting shot of him. We have to stick with him to the end of the season or to the stage we are either safe, or definintely going down.

He is not getting the best out of this team, at the moment.

As to his replacement, if he comes good, we don't need one, but....things don't look too good at the mo.... do they....

[Jan]

Who knows who the solution could be come summer.

Personally I wouldn't mind:

Mark Hughes

Mickey Adams

Gary Megson

to name but 3.  All of whom are used to making the best of meagre resources AND doing it without seeming to have person after person slagging them off in the press.

[Grimshaw]

MARK HUGHES- UNLIKELY TO LEAVE HIS POSITON AS MANAGER OF HIS NATION AND WOULD REPRESENT A RISK IN THAT HE HAS NO CLUB MANAGMENT EXPERIENCE. INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT IS A WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME.

MICKEY ADAMS- RATHER NOT.. LEICESTER ARE HARDLY SETTING THE WORLD ALIGHT ALL BE IT ON LIMITED RESOURCES WOULD HATE TO SEE THE ROVERS REDUCED TO A TEAM WHO ONLY SEEM TO SCORE FROM SET PIECES AND PLAYING ALOT OF ROUTE ONE.

GARY MEGSONS PROBABLY THE BEST OF A BAD BUNCH.. CLUB MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE BUT THEN AGAIN REMIND ME HOW WEST BROM FAIRED IN THE PREM LAST SEASON?