[Archived] Souness Goes To Newcastle

[Sydney Rovers]

During the preview for the Villa V Chelsea game on Foxtel, Graeme Arnold, Australia's Assistant coach, said that both Neill and Emerton had told him that Souness had lost the dressing room. The constant team changes and weird tactical changes were some of the causes.

Also Arnold mentioned an incident where after a Rovers lose last season Souness said that the players had to come back the next day for a training season. The players showed up, but Souness was in Dubai.

[philipl]

At the risk of proving jim and jan right, the stories are bound to start coming out about Souness' last eighteen months or so at Ewood.

I am not surprised that Tony Parkes said that this week has been a breath of fresh air nor that two players who did not have an axe to grind against Souness have said that he had lost the dressing room.

With Souness as Manager, Fat Freddie as Chairman, Kluivert, Bellamy, Bowyer, Dyer and other assorted allsorts in the changing room, Newcastle are the funny farm of English football.

[philipl]

Andy Cole on Souness and him. Apart from that he liked the club and the supporters at Blackburn.

[Kennysuperbuyer]

Souness has gone and thats it. Good ridance to a man who has stripped the coffers and the best players at the club and left us with too large a squad of average journeymen with little flair.

These things were predicted by players to me 18mths ago and it has been proved to be true.

Best of luck to the next manager as this season is going to be a struggle for anybody who is appointed.

[92er]

It seems remarkable that it's only 6 days since GS left-it seems much longer ago. It's interesting that the Newcastle fans who were not happy with the appointment, are apparently even less happy now that they've seen the team he left behind.

The interview with Andrew Cole in the Daily Telegraph is longer and more interesting.

[jim mk2]

Interesting how the Souness apologists - of which there were many at the start of the season - have run for cover in the past ten days.

But then it is impossible to defend the indefensible. For me, the sight of him at the match on Saturday - which he should not have attended if he had had any conscience - with his son wearing Newcastle shirt was absolutely sickening.

Souness should have been sacked a year ago. His negligence and failure to do his overpaid job properly is the reason we are in this mess. His legacy to the club is an ageing and average squad that will struggle to escape relegation.

This is my last word on Souness - I'm just glad he's finally gone - but the weak Rovers board have alot to answer for. They must be grateful that Newcastle have made a difficult decision for them.

[ABBEY]

aye we did well without him on saturday didnt we jim.

[Simon Says]

For me, the sight of him at the match on Saturday - which he should not have attended if he had had any conscience - with his son wearing Newcastle shirt was absolutely sickening.

Blimey, I am in agreement with jim!

[waggy]

just heard a radio interview with sourness and he was going on about how he needed 3 more players and how young the squad was.

que the signing of 3 over 30year old players,for some reason newcastle come a close second to the dingles in my distian.

but much worse is the squad he has left behind,i had a gut feeling souness would walk out in the summer,spurs were struggling to find a man,and i thought sourness would fit the bill.

the summer signing's were pitifull,dickov i grant has been better than i expected but matador and goped are hopeless.was sourness getting a cut off the signing on fees?

i also heard last night in the pub that souness had given his great ally john williams a verbal blast at brockhall,no wonder jw was smiling when he announced he was leaving.

if we appoint the right man stachan or hughes we have time to turn this season around,but either man has to make do with the dross sourness has left till january,tough times are ahead

[Scotty]

aye we did well without him on saturday didnt we jim.

That was Souness's team Abbey.

[vyeo]

he wants reinforcements? how about matteo? come on graeme. you wanted him. be a 'proper' man and take him with you.

[1864roverite]

graeme who ?

[92er]

Could we make Amoruso and Matteo free agents so Newcastle could sign 2 talented experienced defenders?

[ABBEY]

aye we did well without him on saturday didnt we jim.

That was Souness's team Abbey.

[Paul Mellelieu]

I was a supporter of Souness and certainly haven't 'run for cover' as Jim puts it. To repeat myself I think on balance that, as long as we get in a decent replacement, it makes sense for Souness to go. The stark reality of Saturday's performance couldn't have been more timely. For me the paucity of the new signings whilst letting our best striker go showed that he'd, as JW suggested, got to the end of the cycle. That isn't to suggest though that Jim and many other who called for his departure last season have been vindicated. Leaving then would I think have meant relegation.

However Souness hasn't addressed the team's weaknesses and we have it anything looked worse this time out.

I do agree with Jim in his description of Souness' actions on Saturday. He rubbed our noses in it. There was no humility and I'm sure he broke an agreement with the club. I thought he was better than that.

[vyeo]

Extract from The Sun - Shepherd, pictured below with Souness, said: “It was Graeme’s obvious determination to get the job right from the first minute that convinced us he was what we were looking for — a winner.

hmm... did he actually apply for the newcastle job? was glad he's gone... now i'm feeling betrayed...

[MCMC1875]

Extract from The Sun - Shepherd, pictured below with Souness, said: “It was Graeme’s obvious determination to get the job right from the first minute that convinced us he was what we were looking for — a winner.

hmm... did he actually apply for the newcastle job? was glad he's gone... now i'm feeling betrayed...

Apparently Shepherd and Souness were talking as early as 8 August!

[bob fleming]

Apparently Shepherd and Souness were talking as early as 8  August!

What?!? Is that from the sun article as well? Do you have a link anywhere for this? (I have looked myself but I can't see anything - do I have to buy the ruddy thing?)

Edited September 14, 2004 by bob fleming

[MCMC1875]

Apparently Shepherd and Souness were talking as early as 8  August!

What?!? Is that from the sun article as well? Do you have a link anywhere for this?

A mate in the pub told me last night that his pal got this from Freddy's son on holiday in the far east.

[1864roverite]

are you sure he meant some venerial disease, I think that mentioning he had got GS he may have gotten mixed up with gonnorhia syndrome

[bob fleming]

A mate in the pub told me last night that his pal got this from Freddy's son on  holiday in the far east.

I'm not having it. Why would Freddy's son holiday in Norwich?

The Mail on Sunday ( ) also reported a rumour that Souness had contacted Birmingham about their managers job - should Steve Bruce decide to go to Newcastle.

Rumour, speculation, conspiracy theories. Marvellous.

[ace]

..and Mr Souness would have appeared on the steps of St Andrews with his 5 year old son James saying " I want him to grow up to be a Brummie!" and " This is a massive club , one of the biggest in the world " ( even if they havent won anything for 60 years)

[T4E]

Collective sigh of relief in the Dunn, Taylor and Johnson households, then.

[1864roverite]

cant wait till he pays 12 million for yakubu

[John]

Maybe I should stop living in the past.

However I saw GS comments about players in their young 20s making mistakes, and how he doesnt blame them because everyone does when they are that age. He goes on to say Dyer needs another chance if he is going to be fair to him.

The Dunn incident showed what an arrogant sod Souness is as I dont think he was ever given a proper chance to change GS's view. I really do wonder if he is going to man manage at Newcastle like he did here- it will show whether he reckons he made one too many confrontations here.