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Burley sacked after just two games

Fitzhugh Fella

By Fitzhugh Fella,
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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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Oh dear - George Burley has parted company with Apollon FC of Cyprus after just two games because - according to Sky - the Scot had "lost the dressing room".

I remember going to Doncaster away a few seasons ago and being treated to corporate hospitality by Leon Crouch. This was the season after Leon as our then chairman had persuaded the Scottish FA that George was the right man to be their national manager by a bit of reverse psychology in insisting we were desperate to hold on to him. Anyway sharing our table were four or five Scots and they were unaware who Leon was. One of them went into a long rant about how the Saints chairman had stitched them up by foisting Burley on to them. This guy ranted on and on still oblivious to the fact the man he was slagging was sat next to him while meanwhile Leon said nothing, keeping a poker face.

 

The day got even more interesting when we were joined by Johnathan Fulthorpe (remember him?) - who persuaded us to join him in a 125 to 1 bet that Saints would win 2-0 and Surman would score first. We all had a tenner on it and each of us went home £1250 the richer but only after Saints missed a pen towards the end. Away days don't get much better than that.

 

Burley was a busted flush by the time Lowe got him and his arrival was the beginning of our final leap into oblivion.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

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The day got even more interesting when we were joined by Johnathan Fulthorpe (remember him?) - who persuaded us to join him in a 125 to 1 bet that Saints would win 2-0 and Surman would score first. We all had a tenner on it and each of us went home £1250 the richer but only after Saints missed a pen towards the end. Away days don't get much better than that.

 

Burley was a busted flush by the time Lowe got him and his arrival was the beginning of our final leap into oblivion.

 

 

So you know who Longshot was then, must have run into him at the bookies booth I think.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Including me.

 

Did a good job at Derby in fairness. With Raziak and Idiakez when they were good.

 

Did a good job at Hearts too. Won the first 8 games (including beating Rangers) drew the next 2 games (including Celtic away) and then had his bust up with mental Romanov which led to him quitting. His star was in the ascendancy when he came to us after a 4th place finish at Derby and then Hearts.

 

Appointing Burley wasn't the mistake; and while 6th place and the playoffs wasn't amazing, he did just enough to justify another season. It was quickly realised that the second season was going to be a failure; we maybe held on to him for too long, but the biggest mistake was (after getting a decent financial deal for him) not having anyone suitable to replace him.

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

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Did a good job at Hearts too. Won the first 8 games (including beating Rangers) drew the next 2 games (including Celtic away) and then had his bust up with mental Romanov which led to him quitting. His star was in the ascendancy when he came to us after a 4th place finish at Derby and then Hearts.

 

Appointing Burley wasn't the mistake; and while 6th place and the playoffs wasn't amazing, he did just enough to justify another season. It was quickly realised that the second season was going to be a failure; we maybe held on to him for too long, but the biggest mistake was (after getting a decent financial deal for him) not having anyone suitable to replace him.

Appointing Burley was a mistake, but letting Snodin go was a much bigger one. Snodin made Burley and us look decent, his departure meant Whisky George was shown up for what he was, washed up. Bit like Hoddle without Gorman.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Appointing Burley was a mistake, but letting Snodin go was a much bigger one. Snodin made Burley and us look decent, his departure meant Whisky George was shown up for what he was, washed up. Bit like Hoddle without Gorman.

 

In retrospect, yes it was. At the time though it was a decent appointment.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

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In retrospect, yes it was. At the time though it was a decent appointment.

 

 

I've always thought that if Lowe had sacked Burley after the home defeat by Ipswich at the start of 2006 our whole subsequent history would have been different. It was glaringly obviously that Burley just didn't have a clue about decent level football because in Scotland an ourang utang or a cardboard box could get a few wins as a manager.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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I've always thought that if Lowe had sacked Burley after the home defeat by Ipswich at the start of 2006 our whole subsequent history would have been different. It was glaringly obviously that Burley just didn't have a clue about decent level football because in Scotland an ourang utang or a cardboard box could get a few wins as a manager.

 

I don't want it to seem like I'm sticking up for Whisky George, as he did a relatively poor job for us overall; but I find that comment a bit strange. He got Ipswich promoted to the Premier League (after making the play-offs 3 times) and then led them to a 5th placed finish and European qualification. No mean feat at all for a club of ipswich's size. Then at Derby, after an inauspicious start, he led them to 4th place in the Championship.

 

He's not a great manager by any means, and his form since leaving us has been utterly abject. But he did had some highs in his career and its unfair to dismiss those out of hand.

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Window Cleaner

Window Cleaner

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I don't want it to seem like I'm sticking up for Whisky George, as he did a relatively poor job for us overall; but I find that comment a bit strange. He got Ipswich promoted to the Premier League (after making the play-offs 3 times) and then led them to a 5th placed finish and European qualification. No mean feat at all for a club of ipswich's size. Then at Derby, after an inauspicious start, he led them to 4th place in the Championship.

 

He's not a great manager by any means, and his form since leaving us has been utterly abject. But he did had some highs in his career and its unfair to dismiss those out of hand.

 

 

Perhaps I should have said that it was glaringly obvious that he no longer had a clue about etc etc. It would seem that the bloke is a bit of a shipwreck.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Perhaps I should have said that it was glaringly obvious that he no longer had a clue about etc etc. It would seem that the bloke is a bit of a shipwreck.

 

Agreed. After finishing 6th with us (and spending huge amounts to get there) he just utterly lost the plot. And has never recovered since; I'm amazed he still gets jobs in football.

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Huffton

Huffton

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The day got even more interesting when we were joined by Johnathan Fulthorpe (remember him?)

.

 

Bloody hell, yeah I do. Picked him up from one of the big estate agents in town one day, we got chatting about Saints and once I told him I was a season ticket holder he proceeded to tell me all about how he was going to buy the club, oust Rupert, pump loads of money in, get us into Europe blah blah blah.

 

Did the Scottish bloke ever find out he was sat next to Leon FF?

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Golac's Cunning Stunts

Golac's Cunning Stunts

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Oh the wonders of hindsight. When George was appointed, I thought he would be great and he didn't do too shabbily first season. If it wasn't for Leon Best's mistakes in the play off semi, we might even have gone to the prem. After that, it was all down hill. If Leon really did what you say he did, the man should be lauded as a genius :-)

 

It's funny how alcohol doesn't seem to have had the same affect on Sir Alex - still going strong at a fairly advanced age now.

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Badger

Badger

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In retrospect, yes it was. At the time though it was a decent appointment.

 

Bringing Burley in was considered a bit of a coup at the time though and many were ecstatic especially after his record start at Hearts that season. At the time he was a name many considered beyond us after Saggy had p!ssed off.

 

I think we were fearing Bassett/Wise at first then expecting the Dutch Revolution (Wotte and AN Van Other) although that arrived about two years later with Wotte still coming to Saints but the Van Other failing to make his mark anywhere else (name escapes me).

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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Bloody hell, yeah I do. Picked him up from one of the big estate agents in town one day, we got chatting about Saints and once I told him I was a season ticket holder he proceeded to tell me all about how he was going to buy the club, oust Rupert, pump loads of money in, get us into Europe blah blah blah.

 

Did the Scottish bloke ever find out he was sat next to Leon FF?

 

Yeah when Leon went to the toilet I told him - his mouth fell open! It was a priceless moment as Fos1 will verify!

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Turkish

Turkish

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I don't want it to seem like I'm sticking up for Whisky George, as he did a relatively poor job for us overall; but I find that comment a bit strange. He got Ipswich promoted to the Premier League (after making the play-offs 3 times) and then led them to a 5th placed finish and European qualification. No mean feat at all for a club of ipswich's size. Then at Derby, after an inauspicious start, he led them to 4th place in the Championship.

 

He's not a great manager by any means, and his form since leaving us has been utterly abject. But he did had some highs in his career and its unfair to dismiss those out of hand.

 

It isn't strange for this forum as people often say on here Allerdyce and Redknapp don't have a clue despite their impressive CVs. For whatever reason it all fell apart for him at Saints and it's been downhill since but up until then he was widely regarded as one of the best managers outside of the premier league. His summer transfer dealing after our 6th finish and obsession with signing midfielders was quite frankly, bizarre. But then it's not like he's the only manager in our recent past who has entered an important season without a decent back four is it.

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Colinjb

Colinjb

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When Burley was appointed I was delighted.

 

December 2005, Redknapp had just gone back to the Skates, we were hotly linked with Mark Wotte and another random dutchman (anyone remember?) as a management duo. Of Course, Rupert would get a chance to exercise his eccentricity 2 and a half years later.

 

He had done well for Ipswich, done marvels at a broke Derby with a group of kids and had led Hearts to the top of the SPL. A proven record with youngsters and usurping the bigger guns? Bring him in!

 

Survival was the goal in the first year... he achieved it. Ricardo Fuller driving us to some crucial results after he was loaned to Ipswich. Rasiak was signed, Bale made his debut, Pahars was moved on..... it was a clean slate.

 

Second season, the open cheque book. The gamble failed, the cracks appeared. Dropping Rasiak, bringing in Idiakez. The stories of his drunken nights at the De Vere.

 

Third season, the 4-0 away defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. Kelvin losing his rag. And we now couldn't afford to sack him.

 

His time with us was a turning point in his career for the worse. At a time when we went into decline so did the manager, quite appropriate really.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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It's funny how alcohol doesn't seem to have had the same affect on Sir Alex - still going strong at a fairly advanced age now.

 

There's drinking, and there's drinking. George falls into the latter category.

 

Strangely, many many fans on here during Burley's management term went to all sorts of lengths to deny that he was a boozer. It was amazing to see the defence of him from some who just didn't want to believe it.

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Turkish

Turkish

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There's drinking, and there's drinking.

 

Strangely, many many fans on here during Burley's management term went to all sorts of lengths to deny that he was a boozer. It was amazing to see the defence of him from some who just didn't want to believe it.

 

Tis the status quo on here, no?

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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When Burley was appointed I was delighted.

 

December 2005, Redknapp had just gone back to the Skates, we were hotly linked with Mark Wotte and another random dutchman (anyone remember?) as a management duo. Of Course, Rupert would get a chance to exercise his eccentricity 2 and a half years later.

 

He had done well for Ipswich, done marvels at a broke Derby with a group of kids and had led Hearts to the top of the SPL. A proven record with youngsters and usurping the bigger guns? Bring him in!

 

Survival was the goal in the first year... he achieved it. Ricardo Fuller driving us to some crucial results after he was loaned to Ipswich. Rasiak was signed, Bale made his debut, Pahars was moved on..... it was a clean slate.

 

Second season, the open cheque book. The gamble failed, the cracks appeared. Dropping Rasiak, bringing in Idiakez. The stories of his drunken nights at the De Vere.

 

Third season, the 4-0 away defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. Kelvin losing his rag. And e now couldn't afford to sack him.

 

His time with us was a turning point in his career for the worse. At a time when we went into decline so did the manager, quite appropriate really.

 

 

Pretty good summary I would say

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Fitzhugh Fella

Fitzhugh Fella

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There's drinking, and there's drinking. George falls into the latter category.

 

Strangely, many many fans on here during Burley's management term went to all sorts of lengths to deny that he was a boozer. It was amazing to see the defence of him from some who just didn't want to believe it.

 

 

 

Anyone who lived in or near So'ton would have been aware that GB was not too circumspect in hiding his alcohol intake but I well remember being castigated by those on here who thought any criticism of a Saints manager is verboten.

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The Kraken

The Kraken

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Anyone who lived in or near So'ton would have been aware that GB was not too circumspect in hiding his alcohol intake but I well remember being castigated by those on here who thought any criticism of a Saints manager is verboten.

 

It was ridiculous at times. A great mate of mine work for a footy agent who represented George, so was happy to provide me with all sorts of tales of his excessive boozing. Plus many other tales from friends who's met him and stories on here. Yet as you say there were many who aggressively went after anyone who suggested that george may be anything other than the second coming; it was a truly bizarre time.

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dubai_phil

dubai_phil

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Well, having seen him in the De Vere as alluded to above, he was with us far too long and Leon's deal was possibly the only good thing to come from his time with the train set.

 

He's now long gone, perhaps a month or two looking in a mirror and counting his pension would have been wiser than trying to stay in football.

 

Not easy for anyone or their family. As a human being I hope he takes this and steps back and learns. As a Saints fan thank God he's history

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Cabrone

Cabrone

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Oh the wonders of hindsight. When George was appointed' date=' I thought he would be great and he didn't do too shabbily first season. If it wasn't for Leon Best's mistakes in the play off semi, we might even have gone to the prem.[/quote']

 

I'm so glad we didn't go up that season, we would have been slaughtered just like Derby and the psychological damage would have been bad.

 

In terms of expectation vs performance George Burley was probably the greatest managerial disappointment during my following the Saints.

 

I really thought he would take us places but it just never worked out.

 

Oh well, c'est la vie.

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sadoldgit

sadoldgit

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Ok, I'll bite.

 

Firstly I can't believe the amount of people here who seem to delight in past servants of the club failing. Burley had the best points per game ratio of any of our managers before Pardew and Adkins came here and was a whisker away from taking us up. It was hardly his fault in his second full season with us that his best players were sold from under him but as Lowe wasn't involved he got the blame. He might not have been our best ever manager but he was far from the worst and I enjoyed the season we made it to the play offs more than any for a number of years.

 

So he likes a drink? So what? Plenty here do but it is a crime if you are George Burley? This coming from supporters of the team once dubbed by the late great Bill Shankley as "Alehouse footballers," LOL

 

I wish him well in whatever he does next but no doubt there will be plenty here looking out for more failures. Sad really.

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