20 years without title while managing 4 drivers (5 if you count Suninen) during that period, counts as less than optimal record to me.
Burns was signed for Subaru in 2004. If he did drive I am not sure if Hirvonen would even drive full season with them but due to Burns not being able to drive, Hirvonen got to drive full season as n2.
That season Subaru was prbly the fastest car overall (on gravel it was without a doubt) with Solberg winning 94 stages.... Hirvonen won 2 and his best results were two 4th places. While notably C. McRae was sitting out without a contract.
Possible Jouhki's fault there was that he put Hirvonen into a position he was not ready for too early.
Jouhki got famous for it in rally in a bad way... with Hirvonen.