There’s calling it as you see it and then there’s calling it right.
Graeme Souness has a fantastic blend of both.
He’s not the most popular man in the world. He’s managed a lot of clubs, he’s built up a hell of a lot of enemies and he hardly holds back in his analysis or opinions. It’s easy to annoy people living your life like that.
But the best gift a pundit can offer the viewing public is to say exactly what it is that you want or need said. You’re in a bit of a helpless position, watching three or four experts dissect a game and discuss general footballing topics and, sometimes, all you want is a bit of reason to be heard.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPVIHuoDHcM/?taken-by=sportsjoedotie
You have your own points of view, you’re adamant you’re right, but a lot of the times the guys being paid to talk about football are missing the point. Some of them don’t though.
Graeme Souness doesn’t.
Whenever someone needs called out, he does it. Whenever the English media gets carried away with an English player, he reins them in. Whenever he doesn’t like a fellow pundit, he makes it clear.
Graeme Souness is all too often the voice of reason in a chaotic world that’s become a hybrid for crazy sensationalism and desperate downplaying.
The Liverpool legend can cut through the bullshit and he’s done so loads of times on loads of issues.
1. Paul Pogba
He’s having absolutely none of Carragher’s praising of Liverpool for Pogba being caught out under the corners. Jamie says the Frenchman was being blocked. Souness sees it differently – as does the replay for the Liverpool penalty.
– “He’s blocked by his own player.”
– “This is the penalty, I’m talking about the first two.”
– “Well this is the most important one.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmn8JtSbiSo
2. Wayne Rooney
The United striker scores two goals against Scotland – Championship players, as Souness calls them – but the lads are getting carried away suggesting that he’s undroppable. Souness doesn’t like it.
“I agree that he’s been a great player for England… but what adjective do you use to describe Rooney – if it’s great, then what adjective do you use to describe Ronaldo and Messi? It’s different planets.”
3. Wayne Rooney
Two years later, when everyone has simply insisted that you find a place for Rooney – midfield if you have to – Souness doesn’t see the logic.
“But he’s been doing it for a year now and has found it really difficult.
“It’s a different head you need in there. It’s not enough to spread the ball out wide 40 yards, so the crowd say: ‘What a pass’. It’s about getting on the ball and sometimes that means standing still.
“If you don’t get if after a year at 30, then you are never going to get it. He hasn’t grasped the deeper-lying position and he isn’t scoring or creating enough scoring opportunities to be the number ten.”
The simple solution is to drop him. No-one else ever saw that as an option. Souness did.
4. Olivier Giroud
He took a hammering for playing down Giroud’s scorpion goal and suggesting Mkhitaryan’s was better.
“Spectacular”, he calls it, but claims that the Arsenal player only tried to get it on target. Nothing else.
After the game, Olivier Giroud himself confirms Souness’ suspicions.
5. Arsenal
“Insipid, weak, and pussy-footed.”
Graeme Souness absolutely nailing it. @Arsenal pic.twitter.com/6VUFcP19AK
— AFCAMDEN (@AFCAMDEN) February 28, 2016
6. Arsenal
“Would you be disappointed if any of those players came home with your daughter? They’re a team of son-in-laws.”
7. Thierry Henry
“I’m talking.”
8. Louis van Gaal
Basically just calling bullshit on Peter Schmeichel’s guff.
9. Taking on John Giles and Eamon Dunphy together
“Who have you ever managed?”
10. Corpsing
He’s not completely made of stone.
He likes to poke fun at Gary Neville.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=94&v=ygYnnsWuqvc
11. Planning corpses
He likes to poke fun at Neville, but he does not like it when Neville interrupts him.
https://twitter.com/Anfieldlnsider/status/812318818957754368
