Souness must go ?

[allan]

Sack Souness and ask Mark Hughes to save the club he helped get promoted. At least he might stop both the pointless feuding with Cole and asking boys to do a man's job.

[Cheeky Sidders]

Souness must go if lose to Leeds. Similar position to Fulham last season wgo sacked Tigana and then won 3 out of last 5 to stay up. Having said there is no Coleman in the wings so Peter Reid would be the prime candidate to motivate the uselless idle prats.

Yeah, just like he motivated those idle prats at Leeds earlier on in the season. That would be some achievement: getting two clubs relegated from the same division in one season. Peter Reid? I'd sooner have Beryl Reid!

Let's face it kids...

1. Souness won't resign. The man has too much pride.

2. If the club sacks him he'll be due some sort of pay-out. The club is skint so that isn't going to happen.

3. Although there are a few exceptions, changing managers at this late stage is usually folly.

So, I would suggest that we go easy on the fantasy football with regard to the next manager and just get behind the team. No bellyaching, no booing, no apathy. Let's have singing, cheering and a bit of faith.

We will survive.

[Scotty]

I have calmed down but I am now firmly in the Souness out NOW camp.

To those who disagree, let me ask what confidence you have that Souness will have the selection, tactics and motivation to beat Leeds next Saturday?

Right now, I am absolutely certain we will lose that game with Souness in charge.

In those circumstances, the arithmetic is not the cost of buying out his remaining contract but a gamble to avoid losing £20m in income from a relegation which we should NEVER have been in any danger of suffering this season.

How can Souness motivate his players now?

His selection and tactical ineptitude has reduced the defence to a shambles.

Craig Short implicitly criticised Souness for saying the wrong things last week.

The decision to drop Neill because the Anfield crowd would have a go at him was mindbogglingly stupid. Drop Neill for bad performances but not in a way that was tantamount to Souness saying the lad deliberately broke Carragher's leg.

Johansson had an excellent game to re-establish his career and was promptly dropped.

Gresko is probably suffering a massive crisis of confidence because of Souness' failure to play anyone who can operate effectively at left midfield.

Cole and Yorke- two senior pros you would ordinarilly look to provide backbone at this stage are so @#/? off that Souness chose to play too extreme youngsters at Anfield just at the moment their form was beginning to falter- MADNESS

I could go on...

Half the squad would spit in Souness' face gven half the chance. I know its not professional but players are young egocentric individuals with enough "f" you money not to need to give a damn about the shirt and the club and to be supremely indifferent to Souness.

In case anyone hasn't noticed, Liverpool are rubbish. There was nothing magical about their performance today. We just rolled over and died AGAIN.

So to Charlton, Fulham, Villa home, Brum in the Cup, Bolton home, Pompey home we add LIverpool away as performances which fall off the scale of being dire.

I must have missed this post when I first looked on the board today - Philip sums up exactly how I feel.

The amount of things that Souness has done wrong this season is incredible. I'm certain we're going down and it's our manager's fault.

[pg]

But philipl - when Souness played Stead and Gallagher away at Middlesborough and we won 1-0 we all hailed his courage for taking such a gamble and it paying off.

You can't have it both ways

I think the way he has handled the young strikers is an example of one of the things he has done well this season.

[Neil Weaver]

But philipl - when Souness played Stead and Gallagher away at Middlesborough and we won 1-0 we all hailed his courage for taking such a gamble and it paying off.

You can't have it both ways  

I think the way he has handled the young strikers is an example of one of the things he has done well this season.

And if his buggering about against Pompey (OK, OK) had have resulted in a 2-1 win, most on here would be hailing GS as a star with his substitutions. Great stuff this hindsight.

[Hughesy]

Souness this, Souness that!! It is not his fault. He has players like cole and Yorke who think they are bigger and better than anyone. He also has Babbel who doesnt want to stay.

He then has a midfield that is not putting in the effort or the tackles to win the midfield battles.

Against Leeds we need fighters.

If i was souness then I would make changes.

I would play Neill, Gresko, Todd and Amoruso in defence

Jansen on the left and Redi on the right and Emerton and Flitty in the centre.

With Cole and Jansen upfront.

Subs: Stead

Gally

Tugay

Nissa and Enkleman

Now is the time to get stuck in and fight. We need to battle as leeds and leicester are trying so hard to do. Otherwise we are down.

Sacking souness would only make matters worse and now is not the right time to lose your manager.

[Alan75]

I would play Neill, Gresko, Todd and Amoruso in defence

Jansen on the left and Redi on the right and Emerton and Flitty in the centre.

With Cole and Jansen upfront.

Subs: Stead

Gally

Tugay

Nissa and Enkleman

Now is the time to get stuck in and fight. We need to battle as leeds and leicester are trying so hard to do. Otherwise we are down.

Sacking souness would only make matters worse and now is not the right time to lose your manager.

Asking a bit much from Jansen arent you.

Has he a split personallity disorder.

[Hughesy]

Doh! Meant Jansen on left with Stead and Cole upfront. sorry

[CAPT KAYOS]

But philipl - when Souness played Stead and Gallagher away at Middlesborough and we won 1-0 we all hailed his courage for taking such a gamble and it paying off.

You can't have it both ways

I think the way he has handled the young strikers is an example of one of the things he has done well this season.

Did you go to Boro PG

For the majority of the game we where under the cosh -and but for a bit of luck and two world class saves from Friedal we would have lost this game.

However what we did see against Boro was a battling quality with players throwing in last ditch tackles and blocks( except Neill who was woeful) that we have not seen in any other game this season.

It has been said a thousand times already, something is badly amiss somewhere behind the scenes - handling the yougsters (now then before you all start) is one thing but this is when the experience of the older more established players should bear fruit and show their value but from what we have seen nobody appears to give a toss.

Souness has made some major faux pas this season and his reluctance to play a left footer on the left side is unbelievable.

Our balance is like having a mouse weighed up with an elephant - meaning it is quite obvious which way the scales will tip if it is not sorted.

[blue phil]

2. If the club sacks him he'll be due some sort of pay-out. The club is skint so that isn't going to happen.

We'll be even more skint when we go down - and won't we have to pay him off if he gets sacked at the end of the season (or will that be the point when he loses his pride)?

Or do you seriously suggest that we keep him on next season in the Nationwide ? That'll do us wonders at the season ticket office .

No . Saturday should be the deadline for Souness . If he can't inspire the players , then get rid .

[Cheeky Sidders]

We'll be even more skint when we go down - and won't we have to pay him off if he gets sacked at the end of the season (or will that be the point when he loses his pride)?

Or do you seriously suggest that we keep him on next season in the Nationwide ? That'll do us wonders at the season ticket office .

No . Saturday should be the deadline for Souness . If he can't inspire the players , then get rid .

Did I say we should keep him come what may? No. As ever, Pip, I do wish you'd pay more attention before you start taking issue with what I have written.

I think the board are in a very difficult situation regarding the tenure of the manager. I personally believe that Souness will not quit during the season (I admit I should have been clearer on this in my previous post). But I think there is a stronger chance of Souness saying enough is enough at the end of the season than him falling on his sword should we lose to Leeds.

Whether we stay up or go down, I think season ticket sales will be catastrophic anyway after this season's misadventures.

Then again, I still say we'll stay up.

[Radagast]

I just don't understand that logic. Wishing ill on the club you support in order to get rid of a manager you dislike makes no sense to me at all.

Unless of course you're really a Celtic fan eager to see Souness and his ex-Rangers players ruined. Then relegation for Rovers would be a blessing.

[BuckyRover]

This sack Souness bile really makes me sick.

Can you remember where we were going when Souness took charge of this club. It was going nowhere but down. I myself was a bit apprehensive of us appointing Souness and wasnt expecting great things from him.

But he surpassed all of our expectations, I certainly didnt think in 2000 that season 02-03 would see us placing 6th in the Premier League. Yet, when he was doing well nobody wanted him to go then. In fact I think we would all have been devastated had he left us for a "bigger club". But he didnt because he believes that he is building something here, something good for the club.

So Ok, at this point in time its not going well but this is the first time its happened in the Souness regime. And a few of the reasons is that we were forced to sell our only true world class, game changing player Duff and we have had our team crippled by injury this season. If our midfield had been fully fit I dont think we would be where we are at the moment.

Souness is a good manager, we will stay up and there will be a deadwood clearout in the summer. Then we will strengthen the squad with some quality additions (for low, low prices) and build on this as a team next year.

But first we have to support the team through this rough patch and beat Leeds tomorrow.

Come on the Blues!!

[Morley23]

This sack Souness bile really makes me sick.

Can you remember where we were going when Souness took charge of this club. It was going nowhere but down. I myself was a bit apprehensive of us appointing Souness and wasnt expecting great things from him.

But he surpassed all of our expectations, I certainly didnt think in 2000 that season 02-03 would see us placing 6th in the Premier League. Yet, when he was doing well nobody wanted him to go then. In fact I think we would all have been devastated had he left us for a "bigger club". But he didnt because he believes that he is building something here, something good for the club.

So Ok, at this point in time its not going well but this is the first time its happened in the Souness regime. And a few of the reasons is that we were forced to sell our only true world class, game changing player Duff and we have had our team crippled by injury this season. If our midfield had been fully fit I dont think we would be where we are at the moment.

Souness is a good manager, we will stay up and there will be a deadwood clearout in the summer. Then we will strengthen the squad with some quality additions (for low, low prices) and build on this as a team next year.

But first we have to support the team through this rough patch and beat Leeds tomorrow.

Come on the Blues!!

You say that but the thing which most annoys people is his blindness to situations. We have no balance which keeps being stated but he doesnt play gresko n gray down the left. And with some of his signings and lack of man management some are abit miffed

KyLe

[roversWASmylife]

Well said BuckyRover.

Souness took over us when we were in a very poor state, and he managed very well to get us out.

In the seasons apart from this season he has done very well, but you have to ask questions in why and what has gone wrong.

I`m not blaming Souness entirely, but something is very wrong. Three wins at home all season, which is awful.

The team has been booed off Ewood many times this season.

To me, the effort of the players is not there.

There must be reasons for this, such as they think they`re better than every other team they play, or simply they`re not playing for the manager.

IF we lose to Leeds, I can see him going.

[Kennysuperbuyer]

This sack Souness bile really makes me sick.

Can you remember where we were going when Souness took charge of this club. It was going nowhere but down. I myself was a bit apprehensive of us appointing Souness and wasnt expecting great things from him.

But he surpassed all of our expectations, I certainly didnt think in 2000 that season 02-03 would see us placing 6th in the Premier League. Yet, when he was doing well nobody wanted him to go then. In fact I think we would all have been devastated had he left us for a "bigger club". But he didnt because he believes that he is building something here, something good for the club.

So Ok, at this point in time its not going well but this is the first time its happened in the Souness regime. And a few of the reasons is that we were forced to sell our only true world class, game changing player Duff and we have had our team crippled by injury this season. If our midfield had been fully fit I dont think we would be where we are at the moment.

Souness is a good manager, we will stay up and there will be a deadwood clearout in the summer. Then we will strengthen the squad with some quality additions (for low, low prices) and build on this as a team next year.

But first we have to support the team through this rough patch and beat Leeds tomorrow.

Come on the Blues!!

DEADWOOD? ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT HIS SIGNINGS?

THE JEWELS HAVE BEEN SOLD.

I CANT SEE ANY DECENT PREMIERSHIP CLUB WANTING ANY OF OUR PLAYERS.

LETS BE HONEST PLEASE.

[Manchester Blue]

Firstly please stop shouting. Secondly you've already been told no 'proper' Rovers fan would name themselves something that denigrates our greatest achievement. Please go back t'moor or wherever else you have crawled from.

[RevidgeBlue]

Firstly please stop shouting. Secondly you've already been told no 'proper' Rovers fan would name themselves something that denigrates our greatest achievement. Please go back t'moor or wherever else you have crawled from.

Why does it denigrate our greatest achievement to point out that Dalglish was indeed extremely successful in the transfer market?

[USABlue]

This sack Souness bile really makes me sick.

Can you remember where we were going when Souness took charge of this club. It was going nowhere but down. I myself was a bit apprehensive of us appointing Souness and wasnt expecting great things from him.

But he surpassed all of our expectations, I certainly didnt think in 2000 that season 02-03 would see us placing 6th in the Premier League. Yet, when he was doing well nobody wanted him to go then.

Not really true, when we finsihed 6th there was still plaenty of folk who wanted Souness out, remember to some 6th was not good enough. The words lack of ambition were bandied around, Souness was critcised often.

No one can (with hand on heart) say that Souness did not do a fantastic job. He probably saved this club from a Sheffield Wednesday type demise and if that was all he ever did it would have been enough for me, I would have been eternally grateful. Fact is he's done a lot more thatn that. A cup win, respectable finish first year back and 6th last year. All that is noted and appreciated but there comes a time when a change is needed, when the "players need to hear it from someone else" to quote the great man, it's just that perhaps that time is here.

Our teams performance tomorrow will definitively tell all of us whether that time is now and whether this ex blood and thunder footballer can have some of his passion rub off on to his players. Good luck Graeme, bring us home the 3 points.

Edited April 9, 2004 by USABlue

[Manchester Blue]

Firstly please stop shouting.  Secondly you've already been told no 'proper' Rovers fan would name themselves something that denigrates our greatest achievement.  Please go back t'moor or wherever else you have crawled from.

Why does it denigrate our greatest achievement to point out that Dalglish was indeed extremely successful in the transfer market?

Firstly because he wasn't extremely succesful, we were simply in the position that Ranieri finds himself now in that we could buy anyone, at any price. Secondly go on any 'rival' board and as how we won the title and they will tell you we didn't, we bought it.

No self-respecting fan would therefore use that name onlya dingle on a wind up.

[RevidgeBlue]

Firstly please stop shouting.  Secondly you've already been told no 'proper' Rovers fan would name themselves something that denigrates our greatest achievement.  Please go back t'moor or wherever else you have crawled from.

Why does it denigrate our greatest achievement to point out that Dalglish was indeed extremely successful in the transfer market?

Firstly because he wasn't extremely succesful, we were simply in the position that Ranieri finds himself now in that we could buy anyone, at any price. Secondly go on any 'rival' board and as how we won the title and they will tell you we didn't, we bought it.

No self-respecting fan would therefore use that name onlya dingle on a wind up.

Not successful, blimey if he wasn't "successful" in the transfer market would like to see someone who was! Let's give credit where it's due

e.g. Shearer bought 3.3m sold 15m

Sutton bought 5m sold 10m

Berg bought 400k sold 5m

Le Saux bought 600k sold 5m

Pearce bought 500k sold 5m

Sherwood bought 500k (don't recall how much we sold him for)

Alan Wright bought 450k sold 1.2m etc.

[Manchester Blue]

We've done all this before and I can't be bothered but for the record both Shearer and Sutton were transfer records when bought so it was hardly genius was it, more like changing markets. Also don't know which Pearce was sold for £5 million, Brosnan maybe.

It's all irrelevant as i'm not interested in discussing Dalglish's transfer record but more KSB's posting record.

[RevidgeBlue]

My memory was obviously a bit out on Pearce but his career stats indicate we bought him for 300k and sold him for 2.3m - still not bad.

But let's not sound like jealous fans of rival clubs who say we "bought" the title. Of course we did. And everyone else apart from ManUre and Arsenal has tried and failed. You sure you aren't a closet Man Urinal? .

As for KSB he has always been consistent in his views unlike most who started the season saying we had the best squad and manager since sliced bread and who have been backtracking rapidly for some weeks. Let's hope GS proves KSB wrong, we survive this season, and go from strength to strength next. Can't see it happening myself but I'd be delighted if you drag this post back up at Christmas and tell me how wrong I was!

[jim mk2]

Some interesting quotes on PA from Souness today in which he says he won't be changing his style of management, so presumably if we somehow escape the drop we can expect more of the same poor decision-making next season.

Souness said: "I have questioned myself and I have questioned some of the players I have brought to the club and I have found out a great deal, including some things I was hoping not to find.

"The easiest thing is life is to look at other people but I will be asking myself some more questions at the end of the season and I hope some of my players will be doing the same thing.

"I won’t be changing my style - I have been doing this for years. My questions have to be ’who have I bought and have they done the business’, or ’shouldn’t I have picked that team or made that substitution’.”

[Manchester Blue]

My memory was obviously a bit out on Pearce but his career stats indicate we bought him for 300k and sold him for 2.3m - still not bad.

But let's not sound like jealous fans of rival clubs who say we "bought" the title. Of course we did. And everyone else apart from ManUre and Arsenal has tried and failed. You sure you aren't a closet Man Urinal? .

As for KSB he has always been consistent in his views unlike most who started the season saying we had the best squad and manager since sliced bread and who have been backtracking rapidly for some weeks. Let's hope GS proves KSB wrong, we survive this season, and go from strength to strength next. Can't see it happening myself but I'd be delighted if you drag this post back up at Christmas and tell me how wrong I was!

Ha ha very good Rev. One of the biggest annyoances I had to put up with when we won was from bitter reds saying we had bought the title. I always said and still do, that you need more than just money, you need a very good manager. That is what we had but to be called Kenny Super Buyer doesn't do him justice and I just find it strange that's all.

I am by no means Souness' biggest fan and will as usual be giving him a bit of stick where necessary. However I can give credit where it's due also and that's why I get annoyed with some of the anti-Souness brigade.