Souness at Liverpool

[Zimmerman]

To spare the United discussion going too (more) Liverpool heavy



1990 Liverpool won the league
1991 Kenny quit in February... Liverpool finished second; Souness came in in April.

Over the course of one season / just over 12 months… he ditched 8 first team players.
He tried to do too much, too quickly and the replacements were largely failures. For one reason or another its taken 30 years to recover from that.

Beardsley (30)
Staunton (22)
Gillespie (31)
McMahon (30)
Ablett (26)
Hysen (32)
Houghton (30)
Venison (27)

as well as Carter (25) and Speedie (31)

he brought in:

Wright
Saunders
Walters
Rob Jones
Michael Thomas
Kozma
Lee Jones
David James
Paul Stewart

Walters and Stewart the biggest stinkers. Saunders made sense (arguably) but just didn't work out. Players like Wright and James just gave us false hope. Decent enough, but not top draw.... and that was the start of the demise.

Piechnic, Bjornebye, Clough, Ruddock and Dicks arrived before Sept the following year and the downward spiral was well and truly in motion.

[Zimmerman]

Mark Wright 15-Jul-91
Dean Saunders 19-Jul-91
David Speedie Aug-91
Peter Beardsley 05-Aug-91
Steve Staunton 07-Aug-91
Mark Walters 13-Aug-91
Gary Gillespie 15-Aug-91
Rob Jones 04-Oct-91
Jimmy Carter 08-Oct-91
Michael Thomas 16-Dec-91
Steve McMahon 24-Dec-91
Gary Ablett 13-Jan-92
Istvan Kozma 10-Feb-92
Lee Jones 12-Mar-92
Scott Paterson 19-Mar-92
Glenn Hysen 01-May-92
David James 06-Jul-92
Ray Houghton 28-Jul-92
Paul Stewart 29-Jul-92
Barry Venison 31-Jul-92
Torben Piechnik 01-Sep-92
Dean Saunders 10-Sep-92
Stig Inge Bjornebye 18-Dec-92
Istvan Kozma 01-Jun-93
Nigel Clough 07-Jun-93
Neil Ruddock 22-Jul-93
Julian Dicks 17-Sep-93
David Burrows 17-Sep-93
Mike Marsh 17-Sep-93
Mike Hooper 23-Sep-93
Mark Gayle 1994
Ronny Rosenthal 26-Jan-94

[buu1333]

I was one years old when this happened.but good to know

[Darbyand]

Strange decisions with Staunton and Ablett. Solid players who had good careers elsewhere. There's an element of judging that through the modern lens of 20-25 man squads. Back then there was still an element of you were in the first team or not with little in between.

Jimmy Carter never looked like a 1st division footballer let alone a Liverpool player.

[blahblah]

I must admit that I thought Kenny signed Speedie, but yep there is a whack of dross there.

It was also claimed that the squad Kenny finished that season was past it etc, which is mirrored by SAF overachieving with his last squad\season?

[blahblah]

Jimmy Carter never looked like a 1st division footballer let alone a Liverpool player.

I was there at his debut, where he went on as a Sub, before being subbed

[forestfan]

He never looked like a US President either

[Zimmerman]

I must admit that I thought Kenny signed Speedie, but yep there is a whack of dross there.

It was also claimed that the squad Kenny finished that season was past it etc, which is mirrored by SAF overachieving with his last squad\season?

That’s point... Souness rolled in. Deemed the squad to be too old and needing an overhaul; he set about that a) too aggressively and b) prematurely ie Houghton and Beardsley had a good few years left in the tank. Younger players like Gillespie and Staunton could have still been of value etc.

Dalglish did sign speedie... tail end of one season. Souness shipped him quick sharp.

[murf]

He never looked like a US President either

We did only pay peanuts for him.

[murf]

Dalglish had allowed the squad to age a bit and there wasn't enough young blood but Souness did cull too quickly.

A lot of the incomers were solid enough but just not special.

[blahblah]

I must admit that I thought Kenny signed Speedie, but yep there is a whack of dross there.

It was also claimed that the squad Kenny finished that season was past it etc, which is mirrored by SAF overachieving with his last squad\season?

That’s point... Souness rolled in. Deemed the squad to be too old and needing an overhaul; he set about that a) too aggressively and b) prematurely ie Houghton and Beardsley had a good few years left in the tank. Younger players like Gillespie and Staunton could have still been of value etc.

Dalglish did sign speedie... tail end of one season. Souness shipped him quick sharp.

Apologies black means sold ....

Who was the bod who got paid to play golf? Scottish defender, I thought it was Gillespie.

[Magic]

Souness = poor man's Gary Neville. Both pundits. Both crap managers. Only Neville is at least a decent pundit.

[Zimmerman]

I must admit that I thought Kenny signed Speedie, but yep there is a whack of dross there.

It was also claimed that the squad Kenny finished that season was past it etc, which is mirrored by SAF overachieving with his last squad\season?

That’s point... Souness rolled in. Deemed the squad to be too old and needing an overhaul; he set about that a) too aggressively and b) prematurely ie Houghton and Beardsley had a good few years left in the tank. Younger players like Gillespie and Staunton could have still been of value etc.

Dalglish did sign speedie... tail end of one season. Souness shipped him quick sharp.

Apologies black means sold ....

Who was the bod who got paid to play golf? Scottish defender, I thought it was Gillespie.

Perhaps; Gillespie managed 156 appearances in 8 years (not bad considering he had Hansen and Lawrenson ahead of him (and latterly Hysen).

[Zimmerman]

Souness = poor man's Gary Neville. Both pundits. Both crap managers. Only Neville is at least a decent pundit.

Souness did have a managerial career for 20 years prior to becoming a pundit.

Is a co-commentator the same as a pundit?

I don’t mind Souness as a studio pundit, he’s a less aggressive / more constructive Keane (although I rarely watch anything aside from the 90mins of match action).

[Magic]

I don’t mind Souness as a studio pundit, he’s a less aggressive / more constructive Keane.

That's a little like comparing death by knife or gun

[murf]

Souness isn't the worst pundit but I also mostly only watch the 90 minutes. Also was a pretty successful manager in the Scottish 2 horse races.

Keane is awful, too opinionated and usually wrong! Much as it still pains me to say it but Neville is very good. One of the best.

[forestfan]

Souness = poor man's Gary Neville. Both pundits. Both crap managers. Only Neville is at least a decent pundit.

Souness did have a managerial career for 20 years prior to becoming a pundit.

Is a co-commentator the same as a pundit?

Well, many are both, like Neville and nowadays Carragher. I’ve rarely heard Souness in the gantry (maybe once or twice as a stand-in?)

[Bob Newhart]

I don’t mind Souness as a studio pundit, he’s a less aggressive / more constructive Keane.

That's a little like comparing death by knife or gun

Never bring a knife to a gunfight.

[thebillfella]

Souness isn't the worst pundit ...

...Keane is awful, too opinionated and usually wrong!

Are you sure you haven't got these two the wrong way around? Souness is terrible. Keane is a gobshite as well but at least his rants can be inadvertently entertaining!

[Dot]

Souness = poor man's Gary Neville.As a footballer Neville wouldn't have been worthy to shine Souness boots Both pundits.As a pundit Neville has no peers Both crap managers. Only Neville is at least a decent pundit.