Whatever else you might think of Talksport, it’s undoubtedly the place where broadcasting careers go to die. This is the station that once had Keith Jackson as its Scottish football expert and correspondent, the same place where Jim White ended up after being axed by Sky. It’s home to the not-so-great and the never-were-good.
And, of late, it’s where you’ll find Graeme Souness.
Souness has been polluting the airwaves there for a while now, and it’s likely where he’ll stay for the remainder of his broadcast career. His views are archaic, scandalous even, and he epitomises the word “dinosaur.” His bigotry is well-documented, and he’s a misogynist to boot. It’s difficult to take seriously the opinions of a man so hopelessly out of touch.
Today, he’s taking a shot at Ange Postecoglou, and it’s because he thinks Ange has been “lucky” throughout his managerial career. Lucky? Ange has won titles in three countries, on three different continents, and is now managing in the Premier League, one of the toughest stages in football, with Spurs. There’s nothing “lucky” about his journey.
Souness embodies everything wrong with a certain type of media: it exists purely for controversy, avoiding any attempt at intelligent discourse. His shallow analysis is an insult to anyone who bothers to listen. I can’t recall the last time he made a valid point, and this latest rant doesn’t buck the trend. Whatever else you might think of Ange, “lucky” is certainly not the word for him.
Now, naïve is a different question. Souness wouldn’t be the first to call Ange tactically naive. But I wouldn’t use that word either.
Ange is an idealist, which isn’t the same thing. He believes in his tactical philosophy, in his style of play, and that it can succeed anywhere. If he were at Manchester City, he’d leave carnage in his wake. Spurs, as we said from the start, was the wrong club for him, but at the right club? I have no doubt his ideas would yield serious success.
Souness can criticise all he likes, but Ange has won titles with two different clubs in Australia, lifted silverware with a team in Japan, and came to Scotland and dominated—five trophies out of six.
He’s managed a national side, won a trophy as a national team coach, and still, Souness has the nerve to belittle his record. This invites a comparison to his own managerial CV, and frankly, it doesn’t stand up.
Souness can sneer at the quality of opposition in Scotland, but that’s where he had his most notable spell as a manager. And we all know that during his time at Rangers, they were outspending everyone else in the league while Celtic were in the worst state in their history. So, before pointing those foolish fingers, he should make sure he’s on solid ground.
At Liverpool, Souness took charge of an outstanding team and ran it into the ground, winning a solitary trophy when they should have dominated. He won a Turkish Cup with Galatasaray before they swiftly got tired of him. His time at Blackburn Rovers was marked by bizarre transfer dealings, and at Newcastle, he became embroiled in controversy over the Jean-Alain Boumsong transfer, which eventually drew the attention of the City of London Police and led to their investigation of the EBT scandal at Ibrox.
While no evidence was found of Souness accepting bungs, as someone smarter than me once said: the absence of proof isn’t proof of absence.
There are still plenty of unexplained aspects to his time in management, including why Rangers paid him an EBT when he was no longer employed by the club.
As a manager, Souness was a failure almost everywhere he went, and few clubs were sad to see him go. His CV is a long list of sackings, and while he made plenty of money, his teams never played groundbreaking football. So, it’s always amusing to hear him criticise fellow managers as “lucky” when they’ve proven themselves repeatedly.
Aside from a short spell in Greece, Ange’s managerial career has been on a steady upward trajectory. He’s won trophies everywhere, with a style that’s been applauded by fans. Spurs supporters are harder to please because they still see themselves as a big club, despite not winning anything in decades. Souness pays no mind to that.
We know what his real problem with Ange is, and it’s not very well disguised. His contempt for Ange stems from the fact that Ange was Celtic’s manager—and a highly successful one at that. Souness is, and always has been, a bitter man who cannot move past his own hatreds and grudges. His bias is unprofessional and blatant, he’s like the Village Idiot with a lesser platform.
Perhaps he should ponder the deeper significance of that fact.
Because at the end of the day, he’s there on Talksport for a reason. It’s the graveyard of careers where washed-up has-beens go to dwell amongst the never-will-bes. Souness is right at home there. It’s where he belongs.
It makes you wonder what this clown thinks about his own mother who unfortunately gave birth to him he just opens his mouth and spouts sheer garbage about a man he does not know and for that very reason should keep it firmly closed !
“Souey” was sniffing about ibrox recently for a paid role.
Maybe he could now become RIFC CEO,
and dazzle us all with his, erm, staunchness?
He would fit right in at the Govan circus!
🙂
Suness, soness or maybe suoness, not quite sure but think I got it right last guess…
He’s a rotten ex hunny who’s never shook off his bigoted fluffy bunny moustache…personally speaking, can’t stand the pwick…
That criticism is fkn rich. Considerin this is a guy, that everythin he’s touched in his managerial career has turned tae shit. Even jumped the ibrox ship first chance he had when Liverpool approached him. Now he’s flyin the ibrox flag again. He always did think everybody was entitled tae HIS opinion tho.
Aye Souness is a clown. He has said the same about Arsene wenger. Called him lucky too ffs. Calling successful managers lucky is rich coming from a guy whos own managerial career was spectacularly unspectacular.
Thing I meant ,Should not use the word ring because that is too ironic for your wee team bhoy
@ Low. Always one hypocritical scumbag worms through. Instead of tryin tae be funny, try investigatin as tae why yer own club claimed tae have informed the police, when the Police have said they never received any such information. Dae somethin constructive ya moron and campaign for a REAL investigation intae that. Whit did the ibrox directors dae ? Send it in an e-mail ? Such a serious subject shouldve been reported tae the very top, should it not !? Fact is, they got this guy neely out the door and said nothin. And while yer at it, ask WHY yer own club callously told their own victims tae take it up with the OLD club. At least Celtic are now showin some kind of responsibility. So fuck of back tae yer sewer.
Kevan – I live in a mixed area – Us, The 12 year old and as of today 74 years mob, amongst various other team supporters on a lesser level and I encounter them quite often in pubs, shops, bus shelters etc…
For the most part they know that they are dealing as in me with a statistical lunatic and so the (very wisely) shy clear of engaging with me given the historical facts and figures and not pathological lies…
However one day I had one (married to a good – or to be honest silly – English Catholic girl by the way) who tried it on with this very subject…
So he tells me about how he has ‘concrete evidence’ about ‘what went on’ – So low and behold who turns up to buy rolls in the convenience store across the road from the bus stop but – ‘Lynn’ – The community police constable of the time, So says I – “Here’s you’re golden chance, you know folk at Parkhead who are doing things they ‘shouldn’t be’ – If you don’t report this to Lynn, then you’re harbouring what you preach and perhaps I should tell her that we have, in you and your ilk – A harbour’er in our community…
The bus shelter was full – I humiliated him, she appeared after her afternoon shop, crossed the road, he humiliatingy begged me not to approach her, turns out I didn’t, however thankfully he’s not been seen in a pub or near the bus shelter since – well not after midday anyway as I cannot get out of bed in the mornings – Anyway that’s one less of his fuckin type being a blight on decent members of the public – Thank Fuck !!!
That’s the way to deal with that type of bastard reprobates !
He’s quite when asked about Gordon Neely.
BGK?
I’ve never heard of Talksport and don’t think I’ll be in any hurry to watch it any time soon…
He is clearly bitter about anything Celtic and if Ange had managed say Aberdeen (actually no as he’d bitter about him if he was there as well no doubt) but if he managed say Hearts he’d probably not say anything about Ange then…
He is bitter because Ange was the guy who as manager of Celtic guided Celtic to a WORLD RECORD Eighth Treble !!!
And overtook the equal record of his favourite DEAD club in the process…
Bloody Hell – If Brendan smashes the pathological Survival Lie he will be the next in his line of fire…
Even if we are 118 v 3 ahead of Sevco still smash it Brendan…
Plezzzzzzzee – Just to See that Peeeeeeeeeennnnissssss EXPLODE !!!
He thinks he’s Yosser Hughes (but without the class)
Well said. Never said a truer word!
So Ange is “Lucky” eh?
This from Syrup Souness who was to be sacked by Blackburn on the day Newcastle phoned to ask if they could speak to him about becoming their manager and how much compensation would Blackburn require! ??
The man is a bigot and a dinosaur
His complete absence of empathy with the Liverpool fans after Hillsborough by taking money from “The Sun” sums this guy up. He was a dirty player who in this day and age would be red carded every 2nd week and his views on women’s football show him up to be living in the past.
Talksport is the home of football shock jocks and has beens, unfortunately that’s the way of the World these days. The Media just wants controversy rather than logical discussion on most subjects.
I’m sure big Ange will get Spurs into the top 4 this season if he’s given time, although time and patience are two things the Spurs board aren’t noted for.
“Time and patience are two things that The Spurs Board aren’t noted for”
I take it that if they support as Scottish team they’ve gotta be a Sevco Fans then Micheal !!!
Graeme Souness won’t be insulting Ange. He watches games replayed or live on TV, but takes no interest in
football punditry, from all media sources. He encourages his players to do the same. I am not sure of the context
of the following question: At a Celtic FC Presser, one media man in asking a pointed question, told Ange; “You are a very lucky man”.
Ange replied, “Yeah, I am Manager of one of the great Clubs of World Football. Touche.
Jeez John – Cheers for info…Enjoyed a laugh at that !
We are Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much wittier than The Sevco Hun Hoards…
That said it’s not too difficult to be I guess !
Sourness has went through life being a very bitter thing,I swear if someone said to me that they seen him smile I would have to correct them and inform them that he had wind