Liverpool FC Forum

by **jonnymac1979** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 9:31 pm

woof woof ! wrote:Personally I never saw any quality in Julain Dicks , he seemed more intent on hacking people down than anything else ,Paul Stewart was a f,cking embarrasment his signing was a clear signal that LFC had lost the plot.
I heard that Souness had loads of bust ups with senior players in the squad .Not always easy to "boss" people who had once been your mates.
Ah well , all water under the bridge now.

The Souness years are a very interesting piece in our history to me. The only reason being that I've read countless books on Liverpool FC but weirdly enough, none specifically about the Souness years. So it's something I can possibly learn more about.

What are these Phil Boersma rumours?

I'll be purchasing Evans' book shortly anyway. I'll get myself a Souness one at the same time.

by **JBG** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:41 pm

The Souness years are indeed very intertesting Johnny. When Souness took over the club was in crisis after Daglish had left and yes, the squad was aging and in need of some fresh blood.

However, Souness ateempted to change things too dramatically be radically changing the playing staff, and I think there might also have been an element of him falling out with some of the more senior players as well, getting rid of a few (Bearsely, Houghtan, McMahon etc) a little too hastily.

Its happened before in our past where a new manager bought in a lot of new players in a short period of time (such as Daglish's spending spree in 1987) but previously the club always had a knack of picking the perfect players. A couple of Souness' signings might have fitted in well in previous years (Mark Wright and Dean Saunders spring to mind) but collectively, as a unit, they were a disaster.

by **Mikz** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 11:37 pm

I can remember when Souness signed Nigel Clough and thinking he was the new Dalglish . He was magnificent for Forest great vision and passing and he did start off well,scored a few (one a backheel against QPR) But -Then it went pear shaped,Ive never seen a player deteriorate like it and I sometimes wonder was it down to Souness' man management.Some said he was too small,not strong etc,but I never seen that in his play.In fact in that Great 3-3 game with Man Utd he dished it out. (and took some back from Keane) Sometimes I think we are cursed

by **hobbes** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 6:56 am

diouf.. certainly

Even if he doesnt play well, its okay.. but he does not even know that he should put away his sputtum on th ground and not at people.

by **azriahmad** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:20 pm

That is the most puzzling thing about Graeme Souness. He was such a great player for us, not even Stevie G (for all of his talents) has reached Souness' level. He played under a great manager - Bob Paisley - and had one season under Joe Fagan. he had great success at Rangers which curiously, he can't reproduce in Europe. Too many times they lose tamely and quite heavily to opposition like Red Star Belgrade.

You't think that with his playing knowledge and his time as captain in Paisley's team that he would have the makings of a great or at least good manager. Pity to what's happening to his team and what happened to Liverpool under him because I actually am a fan of his because i can still remember his abilities, leadership qualities and most of all, never say die attitude.

He is now facing a very hard time at Newcastle United with recent results going against him. I do hope that, for his sake because of his contributions for Liverpool as a player, that he can turn Newcastle around to finish below 4th with us on 4th place.

by **jonnymac1979** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:36 pm

azriahmad wrote:That is the most puzzling thing about Graeme Souness. He was such a great player for us, not even Stevie G (for all of his talents) has reached Souness' level. He played under a great manager - Bob Paisley - and had one season under Joe Fagan. he had great success at Rangers which curiously, he can't reproduce in Europe. Too many times they lose tamely and quite heavily to opposition like Red Star Belgrade.

You't think that with his playing knowledge and his time as captain in Paisley's team that he would have the makings of a great or at least good manager. Pity to what's happening to his team and what happened to Liverpool under him because I actually am a fan of his because i can still remember his abilities, leadership qualities and most of all, never say die attitude.

He is now facing a very hard time at Newcastle United with recent results going against him. I do hope that, for his sake because of his contributions for Liverpool as a player, that he can turn Newcastle around to finish below 4th with us on 4th place.

I don't think he'll last the season at Newcastle, but I still want to read his book purely for when he was Liverpool boss.

by **taff** » Wed Dec 22, 2004 12:53 pm

One of the Boersma rumours was him drinking champagne in the sauna with dolly birds when he should have been treating players, there were bust ups with the likes of Rush and Barnes as they saw the club going downhill

He was the first guy in th etransition from old LFC to modern LFC which was inevitable but he just didnt handle it

by **azriahmad** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 5:59 am

The younger fans may not know the history of Graeme Souness the Liverpool player - he was mega.

At that time, the whole squad was filled with great players so no one in particular shined like Gerrard today. Arguably Gerrard is the more naturally gifted with a terriffic engine but I would say, realistically that Souness is the better developed and all-rounder than Gerrard is at present. because the whole team is so good and play slick passing and pressing football, Souness did not have to take the game by the scruff of the neck and drag the whole team into games but he was such an influential leader who also happens to be a very good player.

So sad to see his Liverpool management reign yield such a disasterous outcome. Also sad to see that he is struggling at Newcastle after a bright start.

by **GerrardisKing** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 5:33 pm

It`s Kvarme for me it was just that game against everton when he got ripped apart by cadamateri that was some feat.He was shocking!!

by **jonnymac1979** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:44 pm

Some Houllier signings were strange. Not because they were bad players, but because they were never given the chance to show in the first team whether or not they were good or bad players. They hardly if ever played.

Jean-Michel Ferri
Frode Kippe
Bernard Diomede
Daniel Sjolund
Alou Diarra (who we are hearing things about now he is away on loan being picked for the French first XI)
Carl Medjani

I'm sure loads have people who follow the reserves will have seen a few of these but Houllier's signing policy beggared belief sometimes.

by **jonnymac1979** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:16 pm

We spoke about Souness earlier in this thread about his signings.

Dean Saunders
Mark Wright
Mark Walters
Rob Jones
Michael Thomas
Istvan Kozma
Lee Jones
David James
Paul Stewart
Torben Piechnik
Stig-Inge Bjornebye
Nigel Clough
Neil Ruddock
Julian Dicks

He was still using players regularly from as far back as the Bob Pailey era though. They were ancient, and needed to be replaced. He bought badly.

Players Used Regularly Signed by Kenny Dalglish

Jamie Redknapp
Don Hutchinson
Ronnie Rosenthal
David Burrows
Nick Tanner (until career ending injury)
Ray Houghton (for one season - sold too early IMO)
Steve Harkness
John Barnes (injury plagued)

Players Used Regularly Signed by Joe Fagan

Mike Hooper (Grobbelaar injured for most of Souness' first season)
Jan Molby

Players Used Regularly Signed by Bob Paisley

Steve Nicol
Bruce Grobbelaar
Ian Rush
Ronnie Whelan (Injured a lot)

Souness probably did need to sign a lot of players. The squad was indeed going stale. He also had Steve McManaman, Mike Marsh and later Robbie Fowler to call upon.

Just a lot of his signings never looked like real Liverpool players. But change was necessary. Probably the wrong manager at the wrong time. It's one of the defining moments in our history the appointment of Souness. He tried to drag the club into the 90's but ultimately failed, making some bad decisions along the way, and we are still yet to recover fully from it.

by **azriahmad** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 4:30 am

Jonnymac, Ronnie Whelan did get injured quite a bit towards the end of his Liverpool career but don't forget that he was one of the best holding midfielder we ever had. He did not start at this position but ended up there and gave massive protection to the defenders. Liverpool conceded goals during the early part of the 1988-89 season when Whelan wah injured.

He can do the lot - tackle well, intercept, pass well and had more pace than Hamann and scores crucial goals for Liverpool. His battles and victory over the great Paolo Roberto Falcao in the 1984 European Cup final was one highlight, as his goals in the 1982 and 1983 League Cup final were very memorable. We have never effectively replaced the likes of him as we have never had such a commanding govnor since Graeme Souness who even the very talented Gerrard has yet to match.

I agree that the Souness managerial era was the start of the calamity as Souness tried to change too much far too quickly and he expected his charges to have the same commitment, desire and application as he did when he was playing but the 'Spice Boys' era was the ultimate - who can forget the cream coloured suits the players wore before the FA Cup final of 1996, as if the parade to Wembley was more important than the final game itself!

by **jonnymac1979** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:02 pm

azriahmad wrote:Jonnymac, Ronnie Whelan did get injured quite a bit towards the end of his Liverpool career but don't forget that he was one of the best holding midfielder we ever had. He did not start at this position but ended up there and gave massive protection to the defenders. Liverpool conceded goals during the early part of the 1988-89 season when Whelan wah injured.

He can do the lot - tackle well, intercept, pass well and had more pace than Hamann and scores crucial goals for Liverpool. His battles and victory over the great Paolo Roberto Falcao in the 1984 European Cup final was one highlight, as his goals in the 1982 and 1983 League Cup final were very memorable. We have never effectively replaced the likes of him as we have never had such a commanding govnor since Graeme Souness who even the very talented Gerrard has yet to match.

I agree that the Souness managerial era was the start of the calamity as Souness tried to change too much far too quickly and he expected his charges to have the same commitment, desire and application as he did when he was playing but the 'Spice Boys' era was the ultimate - who can forget the cream coloured suits the players wore before the FA Cup final of 1996, as if the parade to Wembley was more important than the final game itself!

I know mate, that's why I put (injured a lot) after his name so as not to do him an injustice. I loved Whelan as a kid. One of my heroes.

by **azriahmad** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:30 pm

Ronnie Whelan is one special talent to have caused an excellent player like Kevin Sheedy, who has a magical left foot, to leave Anfield for Everton so that he can get a regular start. Funny how they can't be put in the same Liverpool team but play in the same midfield for Rep of Ireland.

by **Chrissy** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 1:46 pm

Its got to be diouf and Heskey
Heskey the 'im constantly walking on a tightrope and if you tap me i will fall over' donkey and diouf whos fave meal is 'spag' bolognese!

Liverpool FC Forum

Worst players liverpool have brought in the past 6 - Worst players

Who is online