Boss backs French ace

[Scottish Mag 3]

Graeme Souness has urged Jean-Alain Boumsong's critics to lay off the defender and revealed his admiration for the French international as he plays on in the face of off-field problems. The Scot is a huge fan of the 25-year-old - hardly surprising considering he persuaded his chairman to part with £8.5m to bring the centre-back from Glasgow Rangers - and has entrusted him with the captain's armband in Alan Shearer's absence.

 

The former Auxerre player has missed only one game this season and will again be paired with Titus Bramble at the heart of Newcastle's defence when the Magpies travel to Everton tomorrow. Boumsong sat out the recent meeting with Birmingham City while his partner underwent an operation. And although he has been the subject of fierce criticism this season, notably from former United defensive coach Mark Lawrenson last week, Souness stressed there are mitigating circumstances.

 

"He has had things going on in his personal life with a life-threatening problem for a person very dear to him and very close to him," Souness revealed.

 

"I am not asking people to be kind to him just because of that but to accept he has a hell of a lot on his mind. The fact he is coming to work every day tells you everything you have to know about him."

 

Even ignoring that, however, Souness believes the criticism of his most expensive defender is unjustified.

 

 

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

 

The Newcastle manager has been hugely impressed by the centre-back's character in the 11 months the pair have been operating in tandem.

 

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

 

ouness did acknowledge last week's 3-0 defeat to Chelsea had highlighted his team's defensive deficiencies.

 

 

A hard-working performance against the champions was undermined by mistakes from Titus Bramble and Nolberto Solano which allowed Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo to give the Londoners a 2-0 lead. While Souness wants to see such mistakes eliminated, he admitted there is little he can do about it.

 

 

"It is all about concentration and there is no training session you can put on for that," he said. "Good defenders have bells ringing in their head and lights flashing and that spells danger. The best defenders always think the worst at all times.

 

 

"We have to eliminate the mistakes we have made, but they were poor goals to give away and that changed everything.

 

 

"That is football at this level. If we made those mistakes against a lesser team we might have got away with it but Hernan Crespo is a world-class finisher. We gifted them that result because I felt it was a good time to play them."

 

 

Souness is hoping to have some world-class finishers of his own on show at Goodison tomorrow with Michael Owen and Alan Shearer likely to be available again after recovering from the injuries that kept them out of the Chelsea game.

 

 

Albert Luque is set for a place among the substitutes in the 1.30pm kick-off. The Spanish international has not played for the Magpies since injuring his hamstring against Fulham on September 10.

[Gemmill 44853]

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

Hard to accept that as an excuse really, when you consider that the 19 year old and the 21 year old have looked much more accomplished as defenders. If anything it's a testament to them that their performances have held up alongside Boumsong.

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

Class. He's been proper shit recently though Graeme.

[Howaythelads 0]

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

Hard to accept that as an excuse really, when you consider that the 19 year old and the 21 year old have looked much more accomplished as defenders. If anything it's a testament to them that their performances have held up alongside Boumsong.

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

Class. He's been proper shit recently though Graeme.

61179[/snapback]

 

You aren't convincing anybody.

[LeazesMag 0]

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

Hard to accept that as an excuse really, when you consider that the 19 year old and the 21 year old have looked much more accomplished as defenders. If anything it's a testament to them that their performances have held up alongside Boumsong.

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

Class. He's been proper shit recently though Graeme.

61179[/snapback]

 

You aren't convincing anybody.

61190[/snapback]

 

it would be quite nice to have a proper manager as well

[Gemmill 44853]

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

Hard to accept that as an excuse really, when you consider that the 19 year old and the 21 year old have looked much more accomplished as defenders. If anything it's a testament to them that their performances have held up alongside Boumsong.

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

Class. He's been proper shit recently though Graeme.

61179[/snapback]

 

You aren't convincing anybody.

61190[/snapback]

 

What are you on about, you silly little man?

[Guest Sima]

HTL to call Gemmill and idiot and then get on his high horse for Gemmill giving personal insults

[Shearergol 0]

"I understand some of the criticisms but we have kept six clean sheets this season and Jean-Alain (Boumsong) has partnered a 19-year-old (Steven Taylor) with a 21-year-old at right-back (Peter Ramage)," Souness said.

 

Hard to accept that as an excuse really, when you consider that the 19 year old and the 21 year old have looked much more accomplished as defenders. If anything it's a testament to them that their performances have held up alongside Boumsong.

 

"I am privileged to work with him as he is a proper person and a proper footballer," he added. "The supporters have to know he is a proper professional footballer and because of that he will make mistakes, but he is a pleasure to work with."

 

Class. He's been proper shit recently though Graeme.

61179[/snapback]

 

The guy is a parody of himself now (Souness, not Gemmill)