Souness may have wise words for Gerrard over taking Liverpool job
There must be something about Graeme Souness and the month of April. As recounted in yesterday’s Scotsman, April 8 was the 35th anniversary of Souness’s high-profile arrival at Ibrox as player-manager
And it will be 30 years ago this Friday since he left for Liverpool in another blaze of publicity. It is surprising to be reminded of the tone of the coverage. “Get Lost Souness!” was one headline, “Pack your bags Souness!” another.
Even Souness’s supreme selfassurance seemed shaken as he sat at a table looking distinctly illat-ease at an extraordinary press conference alongside chairman David Murray and other directors as it was announced he would be leaving, immediately.
It was Murray who delivered the news to Souness, who wanted to stay until the end of the season, that he had to go now.
The anger and dismay at the manager’s departure partly stemmed from Rangers still having work to do to clinch a third successive title for the first time since the War.
Fans were fearful they were about to experience what happened at Liverpool after Kenny Dalglish’s resignation following a 4-4 draw with Everton. The Anfield side went onto lose their next three games, including an FA Cup second replay to Everton and a clash with title rivals Arsenal.
At the time of Souness’s departure, Rangers were two points ahead of Aberdeen with four games left. Supporters’ fears were partly realised when the Ibrox side, now under the charge of Walter Smith, crashed 3-0 at Motherwell. It helped set up a last-day title-showdown. With Aberdeen needing only to draw at Ibrox to claim their first title since 1985, they lost to Mark Hateley’s brace.
Footage of Souness being interviewed
the following day has emerged recently on Youtube. He reveals he was being kept up to date with events at Ibrox during Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Spurs.
“During our game against Tottenham, there was a guy behind me kept shouting the score out,” Souness said. “I was delighted.”
Asked if he had any regrets, he replied “I’ve made my bed”, although this couldn’t stop him referring to Rangers as “we”.
He has since called the decision to leave Ibrox as “one of the biggest mistakes” of his football life.
At the time Murray was perplexed by Souness’s desire to depart “the biggest club in Britain” for Liverpool, who were then running out of steam.
The current Liverpool are also toiling – their place in next season’s Champions League is in peril after a 3-1 quarter final first-leg defeat against Real Madrid. Winning the trophy again appeared to be their best route into the competition after an unprecedented run of six successive home league defeats saw Jurgen Klopp’s struggling side drop out of the top four.
It is not hard to imagine current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard having the ‘don’t do what I did’ advice from Souness at some stage in recent weeks.
Even if a vacancy does open up at Anfield, the Ibrox manager will surely view a Champions League campaign, with Rangers starting two ties from the group stage, as enough reason to stay put and extend his unlikely current status as the longest serving manager in the Scottish top-flight.