Graeme Souness and RTE

[Sligo Hornet]

Sky Sports News - just had Souness on, saying he's throwing his hat in the ring for the Scotland job. One down . . . . Venables for England!!

Yeah I watched him last night and was mighty relieved....he seems REALLY interested in the Scotland, and in fairness to them, I think he would be a good choice.

[Noelys Guitar]

Souness to be interviewed next week according to the Times.

Graeme Souness, the former Newcastle United manager, is to hold discussions next week about Ireland’s managerial vacancy. He will meet a three-man “headhunting” panel - Don Givens, Don Howe and Ray Houghton – appointed by the Football Association of Ireland to find a successor to Steve Staunton. Souness, who has also managed Liverpool, Benfica and Blackburn Rovers, has been a media pundit since leaving St James’ Park in February last year. Terry Venables is also among the candidates.

[tetsujin1979]

Souness pulls out of the running for the Ireland job: http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1216/sounessg.html

[NeilMcD]

A load of rubbish there from Souness, what the hell does he mean. Is this another one of these, I want the job but I dont want to be interviewed for it. Fair enough if it was in a job but a load of rubbish when someone is out of work like he is.

[Stuttgart88]

Is the implication that he thinks the selection process is a sham?

If it's simply a case of not doing interviews, a la Joe Kinnear, then sod him.

[NeilMcD]

I think the only way we will believe that the process is not a sham is if Venables does not get the job. If Venables gets teh job, then the process will look like a sham, even if its not.

[geysir]

The interview panel should keep their mouths shut as who they interview. They should have a strict policy and not bother responding to rumours confirming or denying anything.

That RTE article quoting the sun quoting Souness doesn´t make any sense. I note that there are no quotation marks used.

[Noelys Guitar]

Dunphy tells Souness not to waste his time as Venables has the job. Souness tells Lawernson who broadcasts this as fact on Todayfm (my guess). I have a feeling that the Delaney will block Venables appointment even if Venables is considered the best man by the 2 Dons and Rayo. The politician in Delaney will take over and some criteria of his own making will rule out Venables. Who we get then is anyones guess.

[Risteard]

What makes you think Delaney is anti-Venables?

[Noelys Guitar]

What makes you think Delaney is anti-Venables?

Hes not. But the soccer public believes Delaney is driving the Venables bandwagon. So if Venables becomes manager then it will be seen as Delaney's appointment. And if Tel fails then Delaney's own position will become untenable. I can't see him allowing that to happen. Which is why I can't see Venables getting the job as it would mean Delaney tying his own future to the success or failure of TV.

[tetsujin1979]

Hes not. But the soccer public believes Delaney is driving the Venables bandwagon. So if Venables becomes manager then it will be seen as Delaney's appointment. And if Tel fails then Delaney's own position will become untenable. I can't see him allowing that to happen. Which is why I can't see Venables getting the job as it would mean Delaney tying his own future to the success or failure of TV.

When Staunton was appointed, Delaney pushed Staunton as his own appointment of a "world class management team". When Staunton failed, Delaney distanced himself from that appointment and tried to pass the appointment off as the board's decision. What makes you think if Venables is appointed and fails, he won't do the same?

[kingdom hoop]

I suppose Staunton was a bolt out of the blue, so there was no negative media before the appointment. Whereas there is a groundswell of anti-Venables sentiment, so Delaney would be starting off on a negative with Venables. I'm not Noely's interpretor but I'd say that's what he meant.

[Noelys Guitar]

When Staunton was appointed, Delaney pushed Staunton as his own appointment of a "world class management team". When Staunton failed, Delaney distanced himself from that appointment and tried to pass the appointment off as the board's decision. What makes you think if Venables is appointed and fails, he won't do the same?

As Kingdom Hoop says! Venables would be an unpopular choice from the off. And if we fell away early in the qualifying group then the pressure on Delaney and the FAI would be unrelenting. I'm certain that he would be forced out to take the pressure off the other members of the board. Of course Venables could get us to the WC finals and then Delaney would be completely vindicated. But I can't see Delaney staking his future on Venables being successful.

[eekers]

a load of crap about nothing just usual the press having a dig at the fai, cos they think that what people still want to read.

souness hadnt a chance of getting the job he's knows he pulled out now he might have more hance of getting the scottish job.
venables hasnt a chance of getting it neither.

[Stuttgart88]

But I can't see Delaney staking his future on Venables being successful.

The only risk to Delaney's position is Venables being appointed and doing badly - in every other scenario he's blameless at worst and due credit at best.

[Noelys Guitar]

David Kelly in todays Indo on Souness

He managed to air his not insignificant disquiet through the airwaves via old friend Mark Lawrenson, while, later quoted directly in a Sunday newspaper, indicated his extreme disappointment that he had been forced to terminate his campaign to become the new Irish boss -- albeit it had hardly been a candidacy accompanied by bells and whistles

[Deckydee]

Ray Houghton insists the Republic of Ireland door has not been closed on Graeme Souness.

Former Liverpool and Newcastle manager Souness had been keen on replacing Steve Staunton as coach of the Ireland national team.
However, he appears to have ended his interest in the post following reports the position had already been offered to Terry Venables.
Souness told the Irish Star Sunday: "It is a huge pity."
But Houghton, who is part of a three-man selection panel, has moved to reassure Souness that the vacancy has not been filled and that he can still put himself forward for the job.
"We understand there was interest from Graeme to be the manager," Houghton told Sky Sports News.

Disappointed


"Now it's up to him to make the decision to speak to us. We've tried to reassure him that there isn't anyone in place at the moment.
"It is really up to any prospective manager to come to us, to speak to us and tell us why they should be the next manager of Ireland.
"We can only ask them to come along to a meeting and speak to us. It's up to them to impress us and then we can recommend who we think is the best man for the job.
"We're disappointed that Graeme has taken the decision he has at the moment. But who knows?
"I think he is on holiday at the moment in America, so maybe when he is over there he will think over what is happening.
"The door isn't closed on Graeme as far as we're concerned. If he'd like to come and speak to us, there won't be a problem."

[irishfan86]

"It is really up to any prospective manager to come to us, to speak to us and tell us why they should be the next manager of Ireland. "

This worries me a bit; does this mean only candidates who put themselves forward will be considered?

Hodgson has said that he will not approach national sides, they will have to approach him...as he said "jobs have always found me, not the other way 'round."

Hopefully someone on that committee knows about him, and knows that he is still available, and is willing to approach him.

I really have my doubts about the committee even knowing about Hodgson's availability, and if they do, I doubt they'll have the ambition to make contact with him without his initial contact.

FOOK!

[amaccann]

Don Givens would surely be aware, what with his experience in Swiss football?

[Stuttgart88]

I'm very concerned about the misperception of Hodgson taking up a post with Inter Milan, and that the right people won't be aware that he has clearly left the door open.