Out came the white handkerchiefs. As 80,000 Portuguese fans waved Graeme Souness on his way, an Iberian show of contempt for a manager doubled as the international sign of surrender – fitting, as Souness’ Benfica had just surrendered their title hopes at the Estadio da Luz. Benfica vs Boavista kicked off on March 14, 1999 with the pair level on 52 points and each playing their game in hand on Porto, who led the Primeira Liga table with 56. Benfica and Porto would meet six weeks later. It was in the Eagles’ talons. It could have been so different.
Or could it? Perhaps the Souness era was destined to end this way: with a Benfica XI that featured Mark Pembridge, Michael Thomas, Gary Charles and Steve Harkness – the latter two on debut following injury and a midweek transfer respectively – losing a season-defining, decade-defining fixture 3-0 at home. The manager left with a police escort but first, facing a fractious fanbase and an even more frantic media, Souness displayed his patented diplomacy.
“I’m feeling cool and relaxed,” he insisted. “I’ve got a Scottish mentality, not a Latin mentality, which means I will not give up.” Benfica soon gave up on him.
However, that’s just part of a story that kicked off just over 25 years ago and quickly took in historic highs, humiliating lows, a training-ground punch-up and “big balls”, set to a soundtrack of infamy and infighting. Promises were broken. Accounts were frozen. And no fewer than seven British players were along for the ride.
Little tears were shed in Lisbon when Souey was literally locked out of the stadium and returned from whence he came with his signings in tow. But supporters didn’t know then that when the Scot took a parting shot at Benfica president Joao Vale e Azevedo, there was truth to his truculence.
Souness had already told journalists, upon being suspended by Vale e Azevedo a couple of days earlier: “This man tells lies and looks you in the eye. He is a dangerous man.” Now he repeated his earlier conclusion: “This man cannot be trusted.”
