Does he ever give up?
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Souness: Injuries are blighting Rovers
Exclusive By Andy Neild
GRAEME Souness reckons injuries are killing Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United as they battle to make their mark in the Premiership.
Souness's two former clubs both languish in the bottom seven going into tomorrow's crucial six-pointer at Ewood Park.
But although both are hovering perilously close to the relegation zone as they prepare to enter a crucial stage in the season, Souness believes there is light at the end of the tunnel for rival managers Mark Hughes and Glenn Roeder.
"Injuries have hurt both Blackburn and Newcastle this season so the sooner they get their players back, the quicker they'll start to climb up the table," said Souness.
"Unless you're one of the Champions League teams, and I guess you've also got to throw Tottenham into that group as well, the whole thing is a lottery.
"By that I mean you get a squad of players in August and, depending what injuries you get, that will decide what kind of season you have.
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"All it needs is one or two injuries to your key players and then you become fragile, and I think Blackburn are a case in point.
"Last season, they had a good year. This season they've have two or three injuries and now all of a sudden they're huffing and puffing.
"But everyone else is the same. At Newcastle it was exactly the same for us last season.
"Clubs like Blackburn and Newcastle don't have big squads that can get them through the injuries when they occur.
"I had Michael Owen for 10 games last season and we won seven of them. But Michael then got injured and we couldn't score a goal or win a game."
There were times last season when Souness had a full team missing through injury, which inevitably affected results, but his plea for more time went unheeded and he was eventually sacked by chairman Freddy Shepherd, whose patience finally ran out in February.
Now Roeder, his successor, is encountering similar problems, with no less than 11 first team stars currently ruled out with various different ailments.
But the pressure to deliver at Premier League level means fans are not always sympathetic when a manager starts pointing to injuries as a reason for their side's struggles, as Souness discovered to his cost.
"It's not an excuse, it's a fact of life," said the former Newcastle chief.
"Every manager outside of the top five clubs is in the lap of the Gods because if you're best players are not on the pitch, then you're not going to win games. It's as simple as that.
"And Blackburn and Newcastle are both cases in point.
"There's no chance of changing that either.
"The big clubs in the Champions League get bigger and bigger every year so the gap gets bigger and bigger, which makes it less of a competition.
"But that's not just in this country. It's the case throughout Europe.
"Generally speaking, it's the same teams who qualify for the Champions League every year, so it becomes more and more difficult for the rest to compete."
Rovers have certainly struggled to come to terms with the loss of Steven Reid, Ryan Nelsen and Jason Roberts, who are all on the long-term injury list.
And Souness reckons the situation hasn't been helped by the fact the club are in Europe, too, which places an even greater strain on Hughes' resources.
"The Premier League is hard enough as it is. Although Europe is very nice and it involves some nice trips away, you've still got to prioritise when you're a club with a small squad.
"Look at Middlesbrough last season. They had a great run in Europe, but bordered on relegation in the Premiership.
"If you look at teams' results after playing in Europe, and all the travelling that's involved with it, it stands to reason you're going to find it difficult if you haven't got a big squad because you can't compete on all fronts."
Despite Rovers' faltering start in the Premiership, Souness believes they can still finish in a top six position given the quality that exists within the squad.
And he's particularly pleased to see players like Tugay and Brad Friedel, who he rates as two of his best ever signings, still playing a pivotal part under Hughes.
"I'm proud of the job I did at Blackburn. It was a good club (for Mark) to take over because I left him with some good players," said Souness.
"He had a goalkeeper in Brad who's as good as anyone around; Tugay, who's still a big influence at 36; and Lucas Neill, who's an outstanding defender.
"At the time, people questioned my decision to bring Brad in because we had John Filan and Alan Kelly, who were both good goalkeepers.
"But I think Brad has proved to be arguably one of my best ever signings. He cost nothing, he rarely gets injured, and look at the great service he's given to Blackburn?
"He's got to be up there with any of the signings I've made in my career.
"The same can also be said for Tugay.
"I remember signing Ray Wilkins for Rangers in a £250,000 deal from Paris St Germain and he was outstanding for me, but Tugay's right up there with him.
"He's one of those players you dream about as a manager because he never gives you a problem."
Souness believes the time to judge Rovers and Newcastle will be in the New Year, when the likes of Nelsen, Reid and Damien Duff should all be fit again after injury.
In the meantime, Messers Hughes and Roeder must soldier on with the players they have.
"Neither team will have a problem," added Souness.
"I expect both of them to finish in the top half of the table without a problem because they've got too many good players not to do."
