From: ccaaipv@ucl.ac.uk (Ioannis Verikokakis)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer
Subject: Re: SOUNESS
Date: 11 Sep 92 11:03:26 GMT
Organization: Bloomsbury Computing Consortium

mphillip@MATAI.VUW.AC.NZ writes:

>Just to throw in my tuppenceworth, I always thought that Souness was one of
>the filthiest players I ever saw---which is exactly what you need in the
>heart of your midfield. In terms of his managerial ability, I think that
>given all the money that was available for players at Rangers even Graham
>Taylor might have managed to win a few trophies.

I agree that Souness was a hard player but a competitive one. He wasn't
just a goon though; he had flair and a great passing ability, after all
he spend a few succesful seasons with Sampdoria. Foreign players survive
seasons in the campionato because of their footballing ability not because
they can tackle the lights out of eachother. Now for Souness the manager.
He spend money at Rangers but got results. When he took over the Rangers 
were at their lowest. The next season they won the league and they continued 
to do well (Skol cups league titles etc) in the following years. Other 
managers have spent money and have done f*ck all (Atkinson, and Fergie
spring to mind almost instantly). When he took over at Liverpool, the team
was set up for him. Dalglish had just gone but the team albeit shocked was
still solid. The biggest mistake he did was letting Beardsey go. He was
one of my all time favourite Liverpool players, and one of the best to 
grace the Anfield turf. He bought Mark Wright and Deano (good buys IMO)
and Mark Walters (shit last year, seems better this year) and the team
was ready to make a genuine title bid. With the amount of injuries the 
team had though it was impossible to do well. Rush out for months, Barnes
played only a handful of games last season, Wright out for months, Whelan
out for months to name just a few. I've been following Liverpool since 
1975 when I saw them on TV in Greece at the UEFA cup final, and I thought
this(1991-92) was one ofthe most courageous seasons.The FA cup at the end was a
great bonus and the emergence of younsters like Mcmanaman(sp) Jones (another
great buy), Harkness and Redknap give great prospects for the future. 
Another bad managerial decision was selling Deano. For you that haven't
heard the news he went to Villa for 2.3M quid. He should have had more chances
to show his ability. He was last season's top scorer for Cr*st's sake.
It looks like Souness is out for a new defender.

>regarding the current situation at Anfield, it really makes me laugh.
>Liverpool fans seem to think that the world is about to end just because
>their team has lost a few games and hasn't won every trophy available
>(including the World Cup and European Championships) over the past two
>seasons. Get real! You have been spoiled for far too long  by having the
>pick  of all the best players and a very inferior set of teams as
>opposition. Well, the situation has changed and you are going to have to
>get used to having an ordinary team. i must admit I derive a great deal of
>satisfaction from this as Liverpool supporters have to be some of the most
>fickle on the entire planet. A few years back there was an attendance of
>about 9000 for a European Cup match at Anfield. Almost every other team in
>the country  would have sold out  for a European Cup Match (regardless of
>the opposition).

I think you are missing the point here. Liverpool have always played good
football. When you play good football you win trophies. What pisses off the
supporters is watching the team playing crap. The supporters know the 
limitations of the team (with all the injuries and all) but all Liverpool
fans have this standard of football set in their minds that the team has got
them used to from the past. When the team starts playing ale-house football
the supporters are the first to boo them off the field.

>So, don't think that even if you dumped Souness the "Glory Days" would
>return.Face facts, the so-called Liverpool system has come home to roost.
>You have fallen behind the other top teams as they can attract the best
>young players now. Daglish knew what was coming and bailed out and good on
>him.

The "glory days" will return to Anfield, don't worry about that. The Liverpool
system is alive and Kickin, after all it's still in every managers playbook
to copy the style of Liverpool and Forest (Crystal Palace, Wimbledon and Sheff
Utd are excluded). Its the continental style that everyone wants the England
team to play not the up-and-under-lets-whoof-it-in-the-air-hope-for-the-best
type of football. I think there's a potential two or three future England
players in the Liverpool team at the moment (Jones is not one of them, he's
already there) that wouldn't be able to have a drink in bar in the USA.Dalglish
lost his bottle thats why he went. He served the club well and one should
respect his decision to quit. However he left the team at a critical point
(the league could have still be won) and the supporters don't forget that. 

>Martin Phillipson
>Faculty of Law
>Victoria University
>PO Box 600
>Wellington NZ
>email address   mphillip@matai.vuw.ac.nz

Yannis Verikokakis
Applications Programmer
University College London
Computer Centre.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.soccer