Souness must go ?

[broadsword]

Souness earned the right to lead us into next season ... but there must be a huge improvement this time round.

I can't imagine anyone disagreeing with that!

[Alan75]

A few years ago I read an article stating that there was a close link between the prosperity of an area and the success of its football team.

I have a feeling it was written by Desmond Morris.

[Simon Says]

Is Souness the man to take us forward and capitalise on these unique advantages? Personally I agree with KSB on this one, Souness earned the right to lead us into next season courtesy of that four game rally but there must be a huge improvement this time round.

Surely Souness has earned the right to lead us into next season courtesy of a promotion, a cup win and a top 6 finish.

If you believe he deserves to lead us just because of a 4 game rally at the end of last season then what have you been watching for the last 4 years?

Of course last season was a huge disappointment (particularly the home form), and his recent man-management skills do give cause for concern, but as far as I am concerned the manager is still well in credit.

[colin]

without blackburn rovers, there would be nothing to even smile about, as far as living in this town goes. BRFC is everything to this town....and makes me wonder why more so-called fans don't support them as they should, if not for the club but for the town as well.

and

A few years ago I read an article stating that there was a close link between the prosperity of an area and the success of its football team.

That all seems very tenuous. Warrington has a really blossoning economy but no football club. Leeds is also a boom town but the football club is going down the pan.

Reading, Swindon, & Oxford are on the M4 growth corridor but none are pulling up trees when it comes to football.

A successful football club is the "icing on the cake," I think that in economic terms your average club employs very few people of which a minority snaffle up lots of the wages. Not much gets spread around in the local economy.

[92er]

I think the reference was to an industrial setting-people came to work with a smile on the Monday after a win and productivity was up; the opposite when there was a loss.

[jim mk2]

without blackburn rovers, there would be nothing to even smile about, as far as living in this town goes. BRFC is everything to this town....and makes me wonder why more so-called fans don't support them as they should, if not for the club but for the town as well.

and

A few years ago I read an article stating that there was a close link between the prosperity of an area and the success of its football team.

That all seems very tenuous. Warrington has a really blossoning economy but no football club. Leeds is also a boom town but the football club is going down the pan.

Reading, Swindon, & Oxford are on the M4 growth corridor but none are pulling up trees when it comes to football.

A successful football club is the "icing on the cake," I think that in economic terms your average club employs very few people of which a minority snaffle up lots of the wages. Not much gets spread around in the local economy.

Clearly a load of old horlicks.

Liverpool as a city was going down the pan in the 1980s yet the club (and Everton too) enjoyed unprecedented success.

I hate all this "punching above our weight syndrome". It assumes that every club has a natural level above which it should neither rise nor fall. A bit like the class system.

[Alan75]

I hate all this "punching above our weight syndrome".

Maybe with the new kit sponsor, things may change.

[RevidgeBlue]

I hate all this "punching above our weight syndrome".

I'ts just a convenient way of excusing poor performances in advance.

[waggy]

Souness earned the right to lead us into next season ... but there must be a huge improvement this time round.

I can't imagine anyone disagreeing with that!

well i'm afriad i disagree,souness lost the plot big time last season,from the moment he spat his dummy out at st mary's.ONLY through the god send off mcbride turning us down, to go to mighty fulham and us signing STEAD,did the season get back on track.

AMORUSO who was dreadfull early season,came back and showed a bit off fighting spirit which co-incided with our 4 game winning run.if indeed he had weeded the deadwood out i might not be so critical,but what does he do offer tugay,and short new contracts and buys a neverbeen.

[broadsword]

I'm not sure I understand.

You're disagreeing with the idea that we must show an improvement next year?

You actually want us to be worse?!

[booth]

I think he means he disagrees with Souness earning the right to lead Rovers into next season.

[broadsword]

Ooops. Yeah I realised that afterwards, but couldn't be bothered editing.

I didn't mean that nobody can argue with Souness being given a chance, I meant that nobody can argue that we need to do better this season.

As for Waggy thinking our Graeme should be sacked, tell us something we don't know! :-))

[1864roverite]

now then

if next season we have a blinder and win the league then I wpould expect all of you doubters to line up in front of debenhams and show yr hairy arses to the Town !

we had a blip, lets see what happens in the close season before passing any furhter judgement.

Imagine it on the other hand

"Now then graham lad, that plonker Jim mk11 on the forum? well he has not had a good thing to say all season what should we do mate ?"

"shoot him down NOW"

lets enjoy a break from the sadness that is last season, look forward to the Euro 2004 games and then its pre-season.

things are not really that bad..........

ask any dingle fan

[den]

A blip?

[Alan75]

1864roverite get your facts right.

Jim mk11 on the forum? well he has not had a good thing to say all season

jim has never had a good word to say about Souness

[jim mk2]

1864roverite get your facts right.

Jim mk11 on the forum? well he has not had a good thing to say all season

jim has never had a good word to say about Souness

Not true. I complimented him on the quality of one of his sports jackets.

Once.

[92er]

I was reading Alan Smith in the Daily Telegraph today and was intrigued by his description of a good management:"...none of this would have come as much of a surprise to the Porto locals who are well versed in clever management techniques. under Jose Mourinho....when skilful team-building bore the ultimate fruit.

An indication,here, of exactly what good management can do. It nurtures and develops; most importantly it has the capacity to extract the full potential from footballers"

Interesting criteria to judge Souness by.

[waggy]

i would have thought jfh being available on a free transfer,only wages to find would have intrested souey,but then again

[FourLaneBlue]

i would have thought jfh being available on a free transfer,only wages to find would have intrested souey,but then again

So first you wanted to give youth a chance but now you want to sign a mercenary thirtysomething who'll be after at least 50 grand a week?

[waggy]

i would have thought jfh being available on a free transfer,only wages to find would have intrested souey,but then again

So first you wanted to give youth a chance but now you want to sign a mercenary thirtysomething who'll be after at least 50 grand a week?

every now and again there is a bargian on the market and jfh for wages is one,not dickov this guy a 20 a season plus goalscorer for wages,must not be sniffed at,true i am all for youth but jfh is a bargian for nowt

[FourLaneBlue]

Fair enough about Hasselbaink, a fantastic player who would be brilliant for us, even if to does contradict looking for youth. Just like Henrik Larsson; also a cracking experienced player and also available on a free.

Of course, Souness wouldn't go after them would he?

Of course he would; Larsson turned Blackburn down in preference for Barcelona. Fair enough, who can blame him? Hasselbaink will end up at a big club I'm sure and probably one in the Champions League. If however you think Souness wouldn't be interested in him...well, think on. It'd very much surprise me if Souness has not at least monitored the situation.

[RoverDrake]

We need some kind of exciting signing..

Although they may not be exactly crap.. Dickov, Matteo (I hope not!) and De Pedro don't feel me with too much excited.

[tcj_jones]

We need some kind of exciting signing..

Although they may not be exactly crap.. Dickov, Matteo (I hope not!) and De Pedro don't feel me with too much excited.

oh dear...

[RoverDrake]

We need some kind of exciting signing..

Although they may not be exactly crap.. Dickov, Matteo (I hope not!) and De Pedro don't feel me with too much excited.

oh dear...

Our summer signings have been poor..

[FourLaneBlue]

We need some kind of exciting signing..

Although they may not be exactly crap.. Dickov, Matteo (I hope not!) and De Pedro don't feel me with too much excited.

What exactly do you mean by "an exciting signing"? Obviously a Spanish interntional winger who played in the Champions League last year does not excite you, so can you tell us what will? Some names to illustrate your point would be a good idea.