Souness must go ?

[Paul]

Topics merged. Again sorry don't seem able to leave the link

[RoverDrake]

I wouldn't think sacking him now would do much good. It would just make the players think of other things than actually focus on the relegation threat.

However, his man-management and tactical decisions (No Duff-replacement, Douglas on left wing, crazy substitutions) it doesn't bode well for us. All I hope is that Souey can get us clear of relegation, rebuild the team over the summer and never EVER repeat his mistakes.

As much as the Portsmouth result (and the season of a whole) has really hurt me, I believe we will avoid relegation.

We've proved we can get results (Villa 2-0).

I don't want to see Souness go but it will have to happen if the appauling results and performances keep coming.

Pity you can't sack players too...

[rover6]

Anyone heard any more about the supposed rumours that Souness had another bust up with some his players.

[mode_m]

Maybe Souness just isn't working the players hard enough, mind you they're injured half the time anyway, but during an interview with damnien duff in the feburary issue of four four two duff says Ranieri is more tactical player/coach and that Souness is much more of a relaxed manager. "...training is a lot harder than it was up at Blackburn, so I'm sure it will play dividends in the end."

[Tom Pringle]

Anyone heard any more about the supposed rumours that Souness had another bust up with some his players.

Shows he's passionate and doesn't want to lose.

[roversWASmylife]

I don`t know if anyone remembers, or anyone has a link, but after Dunn left, he did mention that he had a row with Souness, and that then at the time there is still a number of players who do not get on with him.

We all thought it was sour grapes, but looking back over the past few weeks, he`s right.

There is a problem with the manager, otherwise they would be giving everything.

Look at Eddie Gray at Leeds, few weeks back, no hope, even still they look certain to go down, but they still fight for the ball and give their all.

It`s signs of 1999, waiting to happen again I`m afraid. I`ve praised Souness for what he`s done at the club, getting us out of Division One, two good seasons in the Premiership then this. You could blame it on injuries, but at the end of the day, the eleven on the pitch weren`t good enough, and weren`t putting enough commitment into it.

If we stay up, we have to be the luckiest club in the league, because on evidence of yesterday`s game there is no way we deserve to be in the Premiership.

IF we lost at home to Leeds, I can seriously see Souness leaving.

[roversmum]

There is an interview on Rovers World with Michael Gray in which he says that the team is 'buzzing' and the atmosphere is very good. The interview was on Friday. Apparently Souness's pre-match talk to the team at Villa inspired them.

Souness picked a winning team for Saturday's match, what more could he do? And yet the performance had to be seen to be believed! How could it be the same team?????

As for Gray's substitution, I couldn't undrstand it either, except he was being physically battered about by Portsmouth and had already had one or two nasty knocks - I wondered if there was a slight injury.

[Tom Pringle]

Once Reid gets fully fit, we'll see a difference

Once Ferguson gets fully fit, we'll see a difference

And it will be for the good.

[Kennysuperbuyer]

What would be worse than being relegated?

Offering a new contract to our arrogant manager thats what.

[trueblue]

Isn't that what makes good managers great though ? arrogance ?

Look at Martin O'Neil, the RFW, Arsene wenger.. are they not arrogant ?

[Lathund]

Once Reid gets fully fit, we'll see a difference

Once Ferguson gets fully fit, we'll see a difference

I'd really like to hope so too, as I rate especially Ferguson highly. But although we were playing better before his injury, we still didn't pick up enough points. I'm afraid he'll be rushed back too soon and will either not play to his real standard or will get injured again. But I really, really hope I'm wrong.

And regarding Souness... I've always thought this was a temporary thing, that things would turn around soon. But they don't seem to do that. I'm worried what this team has turned into, with little skill and more workmanship like players. That's normally just fine, but when the players aren't working hard or showing commitment it's really, really bad. Instead we're starting to look like a dirty team that gives away needless freekicks constantly.

I'm not sure what sacking him now would achieve, it might only makes things worse. But unless things improve drastically I think him and Rovers go separate ways in the summer.

[Exiled_Rover]

Isn't that what makes good managers great though ? arrogance ?

Look at Martin O'Neil, the RFW, Arsene wenger.. are they not arrogant ?

Arrogance is only one of the needed qualities

[trueblue]

Arrogance is only one of the needed qualities

Y es I know that ! I was responding to KSB's comment

[Exiled_Rover]

Y es I know that ! I was responding to KSB's comment

I know, sorry what was meant to come across was that those two mentioned managers have man management skills and apparent transfer skills that Souness does not

[tcj_jones]

i have been a fierce defender of souness all season and have supported him throughout his career at rovers. but...

i know where people are coming from about injuries, i for one attribute injuries as the main reason for why we are in this situation, but one has to question the tactical decisions souness has made in recent weeks/months. this weekends subsititutions completely confuzzled me, gray carrying an injury or not. and then theres the various questions that have been raised over the problem of our left wing...

while i have my criticsms of souness of late i have every confidence that he can pull things around and still have confidence in his ability. to sack him now would be insanity, nothing good could come of it. a change in management at this stage of the season would only upset the team more then it has been allready it could take months for things to be sorted. people may say it is the job of the manager to motivate the team but it is not his soul responsibility - we need somebody that will inspire the team and let them bloody know when theyv missed a sitter, or woosed out of a challange. many have discussed the benefits of crowd pleaser, a player that can attract fans to come watch the team even in their darkest hours. previously i have laughed this off but with a team as incredibly uninspired as rovers and with particularly low attendances, the benefits could be huge. you only have to look at arsenal when they celebrate a goal; the entire team huddles together, you can see what it means to them to be winning and thats something you rarely see from some of our players.

next season needs a complete reshuffle of playing staff whatever division we find ourselves playing in. if we stay up, souness should be given the oppertunity to turn things around, only too often have managers been sacked after one bad season following 3 previous good ones (i use that as an example). if we are still in the premiership then we will have quality players such as ferguson, thompson, stead, freidal etc and they will be a very large factor of the season. if we are not in the premiership then we will not have this quality to fall back on and souness must go.

first out: yorke and cole - i dont care how well this pair play! they are a disruption on the team, cant get on with any manager they play for and are at times a disgrace. nothing can be substituted for the harmony of the team and these two take every bit of spirit we have away.

tugay - yes, his heart is still in the game and at times he can work magic but he is old, he doesnt have the same talent he used to and he has been a liability.

andresen - has provided nothing of any quality or enough to convince us of keeping him on

jansen - i loved this guy an i feel for him but his career has nose dived and he will never be there player he was. at present he gives 110% but he is a division one player.

short - he is a great player and last season was our rock but at his age hes going through injuries like he does pants and we dont have the players to replace him. then you have to think about the fact that hes as good as sold anyway.

flitcroft should be kept but not as captain - that responsibility should fall to ferguson, somebody that has the ability to inspire the team through pure talent if nothing else.

next season will hinge on the success of stead and gallagher and the bucking up of neills and greskos game. ferguson and thompsons return will be immence no question about it and we still need a left winger. well heres to next season, this ones a pile of ######.

oops - kinda posted this in the post portsmouth thread as well by accident sorry.

[92er]

I'm not a fan of Souness but I did think he might have turned the corner recently when he came out with his statements that he had made mistakes recently with both Yorke and Cole.

This is perhaps not the time to go into Souness's failings but I do think part of his problem,besides not having a coach, is not having a sounding board :I suspect there might be too many yes-men about.

[roversactive]

Shut yer Mouth's and get behind Souness and the lads in what we have left - we don't have much else to look at unless you think Parkes or the very dodgy sounding Saunders could keep us up!! We ain't gonna survive unless we get supporting the team - we don't wanna be divided over this!

What was said about Pompey? If we won it we would be in a healthy position from the relegation zone - but we didn't, and we aren't so we gonna have to get on with it.

If we just keep talking about trying to survive and moaning about the management you will find that in the end we will just run out of matches!

FAO Local Rovers (and from Far who can make it) you can find the ticket details for the upcomming rovers matches Here

For my own saftey i would like to ensure that Rover6 and Jim are both fitted with Muzzle's.

Up the Rovers...

anyway... Ferguson could be back for Leeds and hopefully Reid wold of made a full recovery. Hopefully Reid will be very creative for us - our problem is that times we have relyed on Emerton far to much!

Edited March 28, 2004 by roversactive

[trueblue]

I know, sorry what was meant to come across was that those two mentioned managers have man management skills and apparent transfer skills that Souness does not

No problem mate.. I didn't take it the wrong way

And yes, I agree that the other two traits are just as important.. and at the moment, our Graeme seems to have lost his

I sure hope he finds them again soon !!!

[Jan]

He never had any man-management skills, and the Jury has always been out on his transfer skills

[Brownie]

In my view, assuming we stay up.

The keeper, the full backs,a centre-half, three of the midfield and the forwards are sorted.

I'd spend every penny for next season on a left winger a centre midfielder and a centre half.

No problems with Friedel Neill Todd Gray Emerton Ferguson Thompson Stead and Gallagher.

Worth a bet on the handicap list for next season

[Exiled_Rover]

In my view, assuming we stay up.

The keeper, the full backs,a centre-half, three of the midfield and the forwards are sorted.

I'd spend every penny for next season on a left winger a centre midfielder and a centre half.

No problems with Friedel Neill Todd Gray Emerton Ferguson Thompson Stead and Gallagher.

Worth a bet on the handicap list for next season

You planning on playing 5 in midfield

If we stay up we should invest in a flying left winger, Thompson's rehabilitation and a quality centre half.

[roversWASmylife]

My view on Souness`s future at the club will determine after the Leeds game.

If we win (please) then we might slowly ease away, if we lose then the fans will be on the players`s back.

There is only so much a manager can do, and once the players have crossed the white line it`s up to the players to perform and give everything.

We didn`t see that on Saturday, and we haven`t seen it very often at Ewood.

So why? Is it because we think that we are Real Madrid and we can beat anyone, which we can`t. And have been to laid back when it comes to the home games, with not enough players performing well enough.

Or is it, that the players don`t have any respect for the manager anymore?

Exactly the same thing happened with Hodgson, which drove him out.

Questions have to be asked, why are there so many arguements with Souness and the players.

He`s done a great job for us I`d say, in getting us out the First Division, but something has done wrong somewhere.

[Brownie]

There's always been bust ups at Rovers.

Hodgson and Harford were always at it.

Nothing new in football

[RevidgeBlue]

No problems with Friedel Neill Todd Gray Emerton Ferguson Thompson Stead and Gallagher.

Worth a bet on the handicap list for next season

Substitute Reid for Neill, possibly add Johansson at CB and if Emerton pulls his finger out next season I'd agree with that list.

Unfortunately that only leaves us with nine or ten players and still urgently in need of (at the very least) another CB, central midfielder, left midfielder.

I would say we also need a right back who can defend, and there is a huge amount of dead wood to be shifted.

Huge rebuilding job needed over the next 12-18 months.

[key76]

how are we going to get rid of the majority of the squad and fund a re-building exercise? we have no transfer money, we are making a massive loss because of poor gates and the only players worth anything we would want to keep!!!