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That's a tricky question to begin with as the board were publicly backing Souness and as an ordinary fan I have no idea what was happening in private. He probably had a month at most before the club would have been forced to sack him. I believe the club wanted rid of Souness but couldn't afford to sack him. This is probably backed up by the fact that as soon as Newcastle showed an interest John Williams, our chairman, allowed GS to talk with Shepherd and in days he was gone. My guess is Williams couldn't believe his luck, Souness had to go but it was going to cost Rovers; then that nice Mr. Shepherd calls and offers money to take him off our hands! I should think John Williams response was simply "Do you want his mobile number?" Q: What was your reaction when he left Ewood for St. James' Park? Stunned and delighted, Rovers were going down the pan under Graeme. Our website had 1,117 on line within an hour of the news being announced!! Absolutely amazed Newcastle felt he was the man to resolve their problems. Saying this I have to record Graeme Souness did a great deal for Blackburn Rovers, hauled us out of Division One, won the Worthington Cup and a little journey into Europe. However in the last 18 months he lost the plot, fell out with players and had no ambition other than to ensure we finished 17th - a recipe for disaster. Q: What went wrong for Souness at Blackburn, then? Souness is an arrogant man. We can live with that but it doesn't help when dealing with millionaire footballers. I feel many things went wrong for him. Firstly his man management skills lead to widely publicised arguements with talented and senior players - Dunn, Cole, Yorke etc. Once a player fell out with him there was no going back, and the players who experienced this were simply saying "Fine, pay me £30,000 a week to do nothing". The training regime seemed to leave much to be desired as the squad was clearly unfit and injury prone. Finally I think he's good at taking other manager's teams and gaining success but less able to build his own team. Souness made some awful signings, Amoruso and Barry Ferguson to name two. Q: Is he hated, liked, disliked, loved, at Blackburn? What is the feeling today towards the Scot? I think most of us hope we beat you on Sunday, Bellamy gets a hat-trick and Souey gets the sack. If Sunderland beat West Brom you'll be bottom on Sunday. Bellamy to score and a few of our lads to prove a point? Q: Craig Bellamy was a big hit on Tyneside, what do you make of his signing? He has a bit of a reputation and when he was linked with other clubs, many fans said 'we don't want him', was that the case at Ewood? Bellamy hasn't played since the opening day so I haven't seen him. He is expected to play on Sunday for his home debut. Generally Rovers fans feel Bellamy was a bit of a coup for Mark Hughes, personally I have my reservations. This is less to do with Craig Bellamy as an individual and more to do with my dislike of big-time players who talk but rarely produce. Quite simple really our whole summer budget went on Bellamy, we're desperate for goals, we're paying him a fortune so he better produce the goods from the word go. I am expecting Craig to produce a great deal for Blackburn Rovers, if he doesn't? another nail in the coffin for my feelings about football in this day and age. Q: Mark Hughes, what difference has he made to Blackburn and in what areas, since replacing Souness? The two most obvious changes are the players much fitter than under Souness. Have you noticed how many hamstrings there are St.James' Park? Can't be a coincidence. The team now plays for 90 minutes, rather than collapsing in the last 10-15 minutes. we lost or drew too many games in the last ten when Souness was manager. Secondly we have a team once again, the players are working for each other and importantly I feel hughes is now encouraging them to demonstrate to the supporters that they want to play for the club. Hughes has ambition, Souness was content with survival. Clearly avoiding relegation is important but it's the attitude that counts. OIur only hope of winning anyhting is a cup, Souness just wasn't interested in anything other than 17th spot, Hughes clearly would like to win a pot or two....or at least has the decency to tell us that's what he wants! Q: The match on Sunday, will Souey and Shearer get good receptions? Short answer here as the main points will come below. Shearer should and probably will be applauded. Souness - wait and see but I don't think it will go well for him. Q: Speaking o Shearer, legend or traitor? He gets a bit of stick from Rovers fans, given how this could well be his last ever match at Ewood, will fans let bygones be bygones and applaud him off? Your thoughts on this please. Alan Shearer is simply the finest player I have seen in a Rovers shirt. I truely believe, and this isn't a wind up, that Blackburn Rovers fans were privileged to see the best four years of his career during his time at Ewood Park. I don't think Newcastle have ever really taken full advantage of his talent. A real waste. Alan played in Tony Parkes' testimonial recently and we had the opportunity to thank him then. I hope Shearer will stay on the pitch after the game and Ewood can acknowledge a very fine footballer with a resounding chorus of "There's only one Alan Shearer" Traitor? Well I'm pleased the only medal in his collection was won at Ewood Park. I think Shearer was wrong to leave, it didn't benefit him in the manner his talent deserved, and ripped the heart out of many of us. With every goal he scored in Euro 96 I knew he was getting further away from us. I can never forgive him the effect it had on my kids or the club. So I'm very ambivalent about Shearer but I'll never forget the wonderful four years he gave us or his goal against your lot to give us the final home win of the championship season. There really is only one Alan Shearer. Q: How will Blackburn lineup on Sunday and who will be your key players? Probably 4-5-1. Bellamy is making his home debut and should have a real impact for all the obvious reasons. Morten Gamst Pedersen can create problems on his day and scores spectacular goals. Be sure to watch his corners! Ryan Nelsen is very important and centre back Q: You don't often sell out at Ewood, is that annoying? Is this a reflection of the modern game or a reflection of Rovers themselves? What can be done to get more people into Ewood, in your opinion? Last season you brought 7000 to Ewood Park, currently you have sold 2500 tickets for Sunday. This is not a dig at Newcastle but an observation on another clubs dwindling support. It begins with the away following and filters through to the home. Modern football sold its soul to Sky and now the clubs are beginning to pay the penalty. It irritates the life out of me that we can't fill the ground BUT you must appreciate Blackburn is a small, relatively poor town of 130,000ish. The club is punching above its weight. With such a small population Rovers were always going to be one of the first to suffer badly. It's happening at Boro, Charlton, Villa and others. Ticket prices are ludicrous and the walk-up fan will no longer pay. If I didn't have season tickets I couldn't afford the £102 it would cost for myself and three lads to get in on Sunday, last week-end it was £140+ for us to go to the Reebok - fans won't pay this any more. The bulk of PL football is very average, players are paid obscene amounts of money and then don't perform. Many of the players are not deserving of our support and fans vote with their feet. Rovers have made enormous efforts to fill the ground but I feel these promotions will never work. Only three clubs have a chance of winning ANYTHING so why should fans bother to turn up? Whatever you might feel Newcastle will win nothing, just like Rovers. The only real answer is for three things to happen: 1. Cut the players wages and pay by results 2. Ensure the players understand the importance of playinmg good football 3. Cut the prices to £10 adult and £5 junior Q: Any rising stars coming through the academy, we should know about? Most of our young talent is loaned out at the moment: Paul Gallagher at Stoke, Matt Derbyshire at Plymouth, Jay McEverley (Ipswich), Jonathon Douglas (Leeds). Jemal Johnson and Sergi Peter are doing well in the reserves. Q: Will Souness be a success at Newcastle or will he get the sack do you feel? No, he'll get the sack. If you can afford to pay him off. Q: As a Rovers fan, what are your opinions of Newcastle United, our City, stadium and Newcastle fans in general (be honest)? As it happens I have some good friends who are Geordies so I know you're good people. I haven't been to St. James' Park since it was finished and I won't be going as I refuse to pay £30-40 to sit on a skyscraper to watch ants. Last time I was there, about ten years ago, the ground was good. Newcastle United as a club? Well you don't do yourselves any favours do you? All this stuff about Newcastle and it's great fans etc. makes the rest of us laugh. You've won nothing for 50 years and your last Championship was nearly 80 years ago. I think Geordies need to wake up and smell the coffee, you're just like the rest of us, making up the numbers in the PL. Sorry but that's how it is for most supporters these days. One thing I feel you should be very concerned about - where is all this money coming from? Q: Where will the two respective club's finish in the League this season do you feel? Mid-table, perhaps a semi-final. It's all much of a muchness. Two out of three of the promoted clubs will go down plus a surprise, the trick is not to be the surprise. After that? Nothing really. Q: The Premiership, greatest League in the world or overrated? Thoughts please? Over-rated, uncompetitive, uninteresting. Why do I still go? I live in hope but only just. Q: Sky, good for football or bad for the game? Thoughts please? For years I have been telling people Sky is the worst thing that has happened to the game. The game is over-exposed, over-hyped, over-paid. The sooner we can get back to 3.00pm Saturdays the better. It may mean we have to lose Arsenal, Chelsea and United but then the rest of us can get on with watching and enjoying competitive football. Remember the days when you could start the season actually believeing you would win something? Q: Finally, a prediction for the match? Rovers 2 (Bellamy, Pedersen) Newcastle 1 (Shearer) |
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Behind Enemy Lines: A Blackburn Rovers Fans View