TheMoog 0 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 The key to being a great manager is consistency. Unfortunately for Souey, he's consistently bad. His dire record in the Premier League must surely rank him as the worst we've seen. Chris Hutchins has had two attempts and failed to see November out both times. Sunderland hardly covered themselves in glory during the Mick McCarthy campaigns, and Christian Gross seemed out of his depth and destined for the sack almost from the moment Tottenham appointed him. No doubt there are other names worthy of adding to this list but in the end, and after much consideration, my vote goes to a man who has managed four different teams in the Premier League and left a trail of destruction in his wake each time. If you really hate your club, then there's only one man for the job - Graeme Souness. His managerial career started off brightly enough, enjoying enough success at Rangers that, when a permanent replacement for Kenny Dalglish was needed, Liverpool offered him a chance to move to the Premier League. It takes a special kind of incompetence to join a club where finishing second is viewed as a disappointment and to then turn that club into also-rans. During his four seasons he managed to win a solitary FA Cup - helped largely by a favourable draw - and managed to sign a succession of low-quality players. The boot room which had served admirably since the days of Shankly was disbanded and with it went the years of dominance Liverpool had enjoyed. Two sixth-place finishes in the league were unacceptable for a team that hadn't finished outside the top two for over a decade and, when they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Bristol City, he resigned. Following a spell working in Turkey, Souness returned to the Premier League at Southampton, where he lasted just one year. During this time he managed to top his record of making poor signings by bringing the worst player to have ever played top-flight Football to the club - Ali Dia. In mitigation he would point to being conned, but simple checks should have highlighted that he was not the Senegalese international, former Paris St Germain player and cousin of George Weah that he claimed to be. Quite what the lower league teams that had rejected him after trials thought when they saw him make his debut (and only) appearance for Southampton history doesn't recall. His performance was so bad that, despite being brought on as a substitute, he was himself subbed after playing for around 50 minutes. A poor spell at Benfica followed, before Souey took the reins at Blackburn and guided them back into the Premier League. His time here started brightly enough - they won the League Cup in 2002. However, Souness being Souness it couldn't last and promising youngsters were sold and replaced by signings of his usual quality. His tenure ended amid talk of arguments with players and poor results. It was therefore surprising that he left having been offered the manager's job at Newcastle. He immediately set about falling out with players there, and spending a considerable transfer budget poorly. Whilst sitting 15th in the league the Newcastle fans cast the final verdict on his managerial career as chants of "Souness out" echoed around St James' Park. The board quickly granted their wishes. Some managers perform poorly at a single club but Souness has managed to do so consistently despite being given the opportunities most managers can only dream about. He can't hide behind excuses such as not being given the money to compete. It is for this reason that I nominate him as the worst Premier League manager - so far, of course. Who knows who might challenge him for this dubious honour in the future! I've got to agree with this guy (apart from the quickness in which the NUFC board ditched him), anyone got any other candidates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6682 Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I think the Mick McCarthy era at Sunderland was considerably better than the bloke before him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asprilla 96 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Perrin at Portsmouth? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyshinton 59 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Perrin at Portsmouth? Go on I'll do it. Fat Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Kelly 1244 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Souness is certainly the manager I hate the most. Watching the goals from the 3-2 against the scum and seeing that prick in our dugout made me feel sick. The worst thing about him is the predictability of his incompetance. As soon as he came you knew he would fall out with Bellamy and Robert without any doubt at all. Wanker of the highest order. Wilkinson tenure at the scum has to be viewed (by anyone but us) as a fucking distaster but he won the league with Leeds so it would be difficult to rank him the worst (although that was prior to it being the premiership). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakehips 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 With the tools available to do the job, Souness must be the worst manager in Prem history. If you look up Souness in the dictionary, the explanation is 'Shocking'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bawan 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 With the tools available to do the job, Souness must be the worst manager in Prem history. If you look up Souness in the dictionary, the explanation is 'shite'. FYP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snakehips 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. But shirley he did well to get them promoted - despite the lack of any class in the team. But without that necessary class in the team, he was always going to struggle in the top division. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. But shirley he did well to get them promoted - despite the lack of any class in the team. But without that necessary class in the team, he was always going to struggle in the top division. Read the title again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menace13 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Les Reed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bombadil 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Souness is certainly the manager I hate the most. Watching the goals from the 3-2 against the scum and seeing that prick in our dugout made me feel sick.The worst thing about him is the predictability of his incompetance. As soon as he came you knew he would fall out with Bellamy and Robert without any doubt at all. Wanker of the highest order. Wilkinson tenure at the scum has to be viewed (by anyone but us) as a fucking distaster but he won the league with Leeds so it would be difficult to rank him the worst (although that was prior to it being the premiership). You're spot on about the predictability of his incompetence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 The funny thing about DK's comments re: Wilkinson was that he nearly got Leeds relegated as soon as it became the Premier League. By the way, it is the Premier League again now and not the Premiership isn't it? [/pedantic] The Premiership is such a poncey name like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimbo 175 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Les Reed? Good call, but he's not a serial numpty like Souness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgow Mag 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 The funny thing about DK's comments re: Wilkinson was that he nearly got Leeds relegated as soon as it became the Premier League. By the way, it is the Premier League again now and not the Premiership isn't it? [/pedantic] The Premiership is such a poncey name like. Shouldn't it be the manager of the worst team in the history of the Premier League/Premiership, i.e. a combination of Billy Davies and Paul "Shagger" Jewell? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Had you asked this question a month a shit load of plastics on 365 would have said Keegan Idiots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acrossthepond 877 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Following a spell working in Turkey, Souness returned to the Premier League at Southampton, where he lasted just one year. During this time he managed to top his record of making poor signings by bringing the worst player to have ever played top-flight Football to the club - Ali Dia. In mitigation he would point to being conned, but simple checks should have highlighted that he was not the Senegalese international, former Paris St Germain player and cousin of George Weah that he claimed to be. Quite what the lower league teams that had rejected him after trials thought when they saw him make his debut (and only) appearance for Southampton history doesn't recall. His performance was so bad that, despite being brought on as a substitute, he was himself subbed after playing for around 50 minutes. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I had never heard that story before today. What was he thinking?! Even in '97 he could've googled the clown and found there was nothing to him. He could've called the Senegalese football association or some damn thing. This is true incompetence and it is so epic that it deserves the "worst manager" title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. Was he in charge for both those relegations? My favourite stat of that era is if you add the points from their 02-03 season (19) to the points from their 05-06 season (15) they still would have got relegated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 14011 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. Was he in charge for both those relegations? My favourite stat of that era is if you add the points from their 02-03 season (19) to the points from their 05-06 season (15) they still would have got relegated Aye i know its a classic But Newcastle and Sunderland are even stevens if you go on Ready to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bizza 105 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. Was he in charge for both those relegations? My favourite stat of that era is if you add the points from their 02-03 season (19) to the points from their 05-06 season (15) they still would have got relegated Monkey Heid was in charge for the first one I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadrian 0 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 cant have been anyone worse than souness for the reasons the article writer gives , he was handed his chance at 4 seperate clubs . and on each occasion turned them into big bags of shite . some of his signings over the years at different clubs have been comical , and there seems tobe an excuse behind all of them from souness . cant stand the guy , wish he'd fuck right off and stop using us as a source of income from his tabloid hack mates . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig 6682 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Mick Mcarthy for me. Was he in charge for both those relegations? My favourite stat of that era is if you add the points from their 02-03 season (19) to the points from their 05-06 season (15) they still would have got relegated Monkey Heid was in charge for the first one I think. I think he was for the start of the season before being booted out and replaced by Wilkinson. Pretty sure McCarthy was installed just before the end of the campaign and was in charge when they were mathematically relegated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noelie 103 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Had success at some clubs but that Gateshead lad Lawrie Mackem-enemy managed Sunderland into the 3rd. division for the first time in their history. Well done Lawrie, smashing job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest alex Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 (edited) Had success at some clubs but that Gateshead lad Lawrie Mackem-enemy managed Sunderland into the 3rd. division for the first time in their history.Well done Lawrie, smashing job. Didn't he just keep them up one season, then resigned via either The Sun or The Mirror, before telling the club, when they were on their way down the following season? That's how I remember it anyway. Legend! Edited April 16, 2008 by alex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Face 29 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Avram Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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