Souness blasts strike pair

Cole joins Fulham Yorke 'is sixth choice'

Blackburn boss Graeme Souness has admitted he made a mistake in signing Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke.

Cole has joined Fulham on a free transfer while Dwight Yorke has been allowed to leave after both fell out of favour with Souness.

"The Yorke-Cole thing disappoints me because I am the man who spent the supporters' money," Souness said.

"From now on I only want to work with men. I am not interested in having babies around."

Cole and Yorke formed an impressive partnership while at Manchester United, but they struggled to adapt to life at Ewood Park.

It's no secret that Cole and I didn't see eye to eye Graeme Souness

Yorke and Souness' relationship broke down in March when the striker was upset by a tackle from his manager during a training game.

The Blackburn boss said Yorke was only his "sixth choice striker" going into the new season and he was left out of a pre-season tour.

Souness said the departure of Cole, who cost the club £7.5m in 2001, was in the best interests of the club.

"It's no secret that Cole and I didn't see eye to eye in how I wanted football played and I think it was best for everyone that he went," he said.

Cole's greatest mistake was coming to Ewood thinking he was a cut above us and not leaving his Man U colours behind From Andy Have your say on 606

"We obviously felt we could do without him.

"Some of those decisions at times will upset players but at no football club is every player deliriously happy with the manager because when you've got a squad of players you can only pick 11 at a time.

"That wasn't necessarily Andy's complaint because he played in the vast majority of games in his time with us but I was always looking for more from him."