Souness keen on Toon return

Former Magpies boss would take St James' post

Last updated: 13th January 2008

Graeme Souness

Souness: Keen on Toon return

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Former Newcastle boss Graeme Souness would welcome a second chance at St James' Park.

Harry Redknapp turned down the Magpies vacancy on Saturday following Sam Allardyce's brief tenure, with the St James' Park side searching for their seventh manager in 10 years.

Souness endured a difficult spell from 2004-06 as Toon boss under Freddy Shepherd, but would be happy to return to Tyneside under new owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort.

Big club

Asked on Sky Sports 1 if he would be interested in going back, Souness said: "With [there now being] a different chairman, most certainly."

When pressed on whether he would take the job if it was offered to him, he added: "In a heartbeat. It is a big club, one of the big clubs out there.

"It has got the potential to be one of the best. But it's not a quick fix, and whoever goes in there is going to need certainly a minimum of three or four years."

Choice

Newcastle spent vast sums on transfers during Souness' tenure - including the signing of Michael Owen from Real Madrid - but the Scot refuted the suggestion he was fully backed by then-chairman Shepherd.

"I would argue that point because at the end of the day my first choice was (Nicolas) Anelka and (Luis) Boa Morte.

"I was told, when I spoke to the people in Turkey, when Anelka was for sale at that time, that he could be bought. But I was told he wasn't for sale and couldn't be bought.

"So instead of us spending the £12million there, we bought Albert Luque for £10million and Michael Owen for £16million."

Asked whether those were his decisions, Souness said: "No. I was told Albert Luque would cost £2million."

Comments

Paul Teale (Liverpool fan) says...

Souness was solely responsible for destroying Liverpool because he changed systems that had won Liverpool titles and cups for so long. While Liverpool have won cups since then they have never won the league. He went to Newcastle and destroyed them too. While Souness was a great player he is a terrible manager and Newcastle would do well to remember his managerial failures and avoid the same mistake twice.

Posted 12:55 14th January 2008

Jim Lyon (Bath City fan) says...

Sorry, but Newcastle are NOT, I repeat NOT, a big club. They are substandard in every aspect and have delusions of grandeur. I'm afraid that being the only well supported team in the North East does not automatically make it a "big club". It is not Newcastle's right to win games and to be successful because they have a strong support, they are utterly pathetic. Also, to blame their lack of: ability, success, competency in transfer market, staff appointments (I could go on...) on the string of previously successful managers who have seen Newcastle United leave their careers in tatters is tantamount to libel. Newcastle are a fourth-rate, shabby excuse for a football club who should be consigned to relegation for their arrogance. The sooner the North East can wake up and smell the cheese the better. Don't get me wrong, Newcastle have a squad to reasonable players and should, at a push, be making it to the middle of the table by the end of the season. Alas, the table tells no lies, Newcastle are 6 points(!!!!!) from the drop zone and, I, for one hope the get their just desserts and begin to ply their trade in the Championship (or, hope upon hope, points are deducted for ignorance and NUFC end up in the Blue Square Premier). In addition to this I hope Shearer goes back as manager and you'll all realise just how bad things are as your saviour can do nothing to stop the rot at St James. Heed the call all decent Newcastle players (Martins, Owen, Given, Butt, Solano, Duff, Taylor, N'Zogbia, Geremi, Viduka). Your time for milking NUFC for all their worth should come to an end, save your career and leave while you still can.

Posted 12:28 14th January 2008

Mark Anderson says...

please dont give him the job mr ashley we are still recovering from his mistakes the last time he was in charge, you want to go forward not back, i cant beleive he actually thinks he has any chance big sam is three times the manager souness ever "was". we need bigger names, and a step forward from Sam not a step backwards.

Posted 22:34 13th January 2008

Paul Nesbitt says...

For gods sake NO!!! This is the man i blame for many of Newcastles problems. "This is a club with one of the best squads in the country". Thats what he said when he took over 1st time and then proceeded to decimate it and bring in average at best (apart from Owen who is permantley injured) players. I wouldn't trust this man to bring sucess to any club let alone Newcastle. Louis Van Gaal is my choice (if we can get him) is my choice for the job.

Posted 19:12 13th January 2008

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