Seven Year (B)Itch

Today is officially the seven year anniversary of Graeme Souness being hired to replace Sir Bobby.

God! I still detest this man.

I wish him unhealthy thoughts for lumbering us with the following:

• Celestine Babayaro – Everyone knew he was finished at the top level
• Jean Alain Boumsong – He did Rangers a favour with the ‘bid’
• Craig Moore - The man wasn’t good enough to replace our existing defence. I suspect a Rangers connection… Oh, he did two stints with Rangers.
• Ronny Johnsen – Why! Just why!!!
• Albert Luque - £9.5 million and there were far better ‘prospects’ out there
• Michael Owen – OK. I was excited when he arrived but we all know what happened with him.
• Hugo Viana – A certain Cristiano Ronaldo was available at Sporting Lisbon…

Sure he brought Emre, Parker and even got Nobby back for another stint but his failings well outweigh his positives.

On this memorable day all those years ago I recall being utterly stunned at his appointment.

If only a better manager had been appointed; a man manager who could get the best from his players and had a far better understanding of the transfer market then I doubt the fortunes of NUFC would have waned to the extent that they did.

Someone in the vain of Louis Van Gaal who was available at the time.
Perhaps Bobby’s idea of Mourinho?

Surely there were better options on the table than the man we ended up with?

What are your enduring memories of the start of the downward decline in NUFC’s fortunes?

 

Yes it was depressing his reign but Viana was signed in 2002 under Robson, and Mourinho had took over at Chelsea 3 months before Sir Bobby was sacked. The game under Souness that stands out as depressing was when we lost 4-1 at home to Fulham.

 

My bad on Viana. I was looking at his loan spell back from Sporting under Souness and just included him as a signing

 

What are your enduring memories of the start of the downward decline in NUFC’s fortunes?

Sitting enjoying a lovely day off having a bar lunch and SSN came on in the background to say Sourmess had been apponited. Made me sick to the stomach and put me off my lunch. Its funny how you always remeber where you were when attorcities happen!!!!

 

Viana could've been great, but he was Bobby's buy anyway.

I remember the Fulham game. We battered them. I think we had 27 shots on goal but Crossley was outstanding.

Completely agree though, OT. Why Souness? WHY? I don't know anyone who thought that he was a good appointment. Weren't Blackburn bottom at the time too?

 

I remember where I was when the news broke. Was at work (my dad used to run a pub and we were doing some stock behind the bar) and he turned to me and simply said "****".

 

Was out shopping, at Dalton, when my mate Geordie Dave rang me, to give me the news.

I remember my response was "WWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAAATTTTTT?"

 

when they mentioned souness i was just stunned. i couldn;'t understand why a man on the verge of the sack at blackburn was even being mentioned inthe same breath. not just that but wasn't it souness that came in and sold the likes of Aaron Hughes one of the most solid and dependable centre backs in the league for about £1m?

everytime i see his face it makes my blood boil. same with Gary neville. why sky sports feels its necessary to have really unpopular pundits. i assure you if they replaced either of these with a soccerette and have her chirp up with something utterly ridiculous every 5mins their ratings would sky rocket.

 

hahaha I was quite young but still remeber my dad shouting from the kitchen ''ARGHH NOOOO'' (or something like that ) and wondering what it was...even at that age I knew how **** life was about to become.

Still doesn't stick out as much as driving home from the Metro Centre with my Mam and Dad and hearing the news Robson had been sacked over the radio, pure shock there.

 

I was on holiday at the time and remember how quickly it all happened - we lost to Villa, Bobby was sacked and Souness was in, in what felt like a matter of days.

Such a rushed appointment and, looking back, unbelievably stupid. The team spirit we had was shattered; there's an interview with Bernard a couple of years back in the Chronicle that talks about it.

 

I was stunned at the appointment. Still am. He was ****e for Blackburn, we finished above them with Bobby! I couldnt understand, why a manager who had done poorly with an established Prem team was brought in to replace Bobby.

It was something to do with disicipling players wasnt it...then look at what happened Bellamy mouthing off at Charlton, Bowyer & Dyer scraping, Jenas spitting his dummy out. Players had 0 respect for him. And, from what I gather he treat them like ****. I recall seeing a picture in one of the tabloids where he was grabbing Patrick Kluivert by the chin and shouting in his face.

His signings were ****e, Amdy Faye, anyone? I'll never forget that horrors of that FA Cup Semi Final. Had Bobby been in charge, I think we could have won that. And just before that too...blowing our strong lead against Sporting sodding Lisbon!

I hate the man with a passion. Was glad to see him leave after that dreadful result away to Man City. I was starting to think we'd never get rid of him!

 

Not much you can say really. The man knew **** all. There's a reason why he hasn't had a job since..

 

I'd change my name to AbsolutelyGraemeSouness again but apparently Mods aren't allowed.

 

I disagree on Craig Moore and Michael Owen. I thought Craig Moore was pretty solid, better than a certain David Rozenahl that I seem to remember. Also Michael Owen was at the time expected to bang 20 goals a season in, would you complain if we paid 15 million for Benzema now?

 

Who can forget the Ali Dia situation?

Pardew get's a call:

"Hello Alan! It's me...Bobby Robson! Just here to tell you that I know a cracking player you should sign! Cantsavus Forshittieus! He's a one legged goalkeeper, brilliant player!"

"Let me give Ashley a call"

*five minutes later*

"I've been sacked Bobby..:/"

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/04/sportfeatures.footballmanagers

 

That's a good write up for him

 

The second sentence is hilarious painfully true.

 

Based on everyone's recollections to his appointment on here; yep.

 

I think I was seven at the time and didn't really have an opinion either way...
But in retrospect it seems a baffling decision indeed.