Souness Reaches 50 Games In Charge

By Matt Jones
December 17 2005

Graeme Souness celebrates his 50th game as manager of Newcastle United this afternoon, as Newcastle travel to West Ham. It hasn't been the easiest of jobs for Souness, with the Magpies suffering from ongoing injury problems but the Scot is still as enthusiastic at the club as ever.

SOUNESS: "It's been what I thought it would be. It's a football club somebody said was very difficult to manage and I'd agree with that.

"I've been in the game long enough to have the philosophy not to be surprised by surprises. That applies to Newcastle United because it's a big football club and you walk into work in the morning never knowing what to expect.

"I've been asked where I want to be in another 50 games' time, but I never look further ahead than Saturday's game. But we still think we can get into the top six.

"I'm trying to make things more simple all round, we have to set our stall out against West Ham and play that way. We kept it simple against Arsenal and it worked."

During Souness' time in charge at the club, he has seen Newcastle knocked out of two cups within five days, his players fighting with each other on the pitch, and the fans calling for him to be sacked.