Souness

[FFCFOREVER]

Souness also said Areola's tackle was akin to assault, so I would disregard anything he says as he obviously aint got a scooby what he's talking about.

Souness is one of the best pundits on tv !

Lol

[The Rational Fan]

Souness also said Areola's tackle was akin to assault, so I would disregard anything he says as he obviously aint got a scooby what he's talking about.

Areola is guilty of assault maybe in this new world, but Souness has guilt of so much worse many many times. https://youtu.be/ygVgxYa3mlo

[FFC In Oz]

Souness is a miserable p****.

[alfie]

Met him a few times, actually a really nice bloke.

[Woolly Mammoth]

A friend of mine was playing for Chelsea reserves v Tottenham Hotspur Reserves back in the early 70s and Sourness was playing for Spurs at the time.
During the game Souness and my mate went into a 50 50 tackle with both players punching their weight in the tackle as they did in those days. The ball ran loose to another Chelsea player and as everybody was following the ball including the referee, and with both players still on the floor, as my mate proceeded to get up, Souness stuck his leg up and cynically scrapped his studs across my mates chin drawing blood for no reason at all except that he had lost the ball in the tackle, unfortunately everybody had their eye on the play. These days TV and VAR would have picked it up.
My mate to this day still has the scar.
Souness was one of those players that in a battle you would always want him on your side, but not against you. A bit of an assassin on the pitch and an unpleasant character.
I have no idea what he is like off the pitch.
As a pundit he is divisive and either you like him or you don't.
Some of his comments are not called for, and I often wonder if he would like to foul some of the other pundits on the panel if he was allowed.
I suppose from Skys point of view he makes good TV for them maybe.

[HV71]

Met him a few times, actually a really nice bloke.

Could not agree more Alfie. Was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours at his house in the early 80s. Very honest and straight forward but not full of himself . Enjoy his punditry - yes can be a bit biased towards Liverpool , but a lot more impartial than most.

[Bill2]

A friend of mine was playing for Chelsea reserves v Tottenham Hotspur Reserves back in the early 70s and Sourness was playing for Spurs at the time.
During the game Souness and my mate went into a 50 50 tackle with both players punching their weight in the tackle as they did in those days. The ball ran loose to another Chelsea player and as everybody was following the ball including the referee, and with both players still on the floor, as my mate proceeded to get up, Souness stuck his leg up and cynically scrapped his studs across my mates chin drawing blood for no reason at all except that he had lost the ball in the tackle, unfortunately everybody had their eye on the play. These days TV and VAR would have picked it up.
My mate to this day still has the scar.
Souness was one of those players that in a battle you would always want him on your side, but not against you. A bit of an assassin on the pitch and an unpleasant character.
I have no idea what he is like off the pitch.
As a pundit he is divisive and either you like him or you don't.
Some of his comments are not called for, and I often wonder if he would like to foul some of the other pundits on the panel if he was allowed.
I suppose from Skys point of view he makes good TV for them maybe.

I think his punditry is like his football in that he takes no prisoners, certainly no siting on the fence.

[Woolly Mammoth]

A friend of mine was playing for Chelsea reserves v Tottenham Hotspur Reserves back in the early 70s and Sourness was playing for Spurs at the time.
During the game Souness and my mate went into a 50 50 tackle with both players punching their weight in the tackle as they did in those days. The ball ran loose to another Chelsea player and as everybody was following the ball including the referee, and with both players still on the floor, as my mate proceeded to get up, Souness stuck his leg up and cynically scrapped his studs across my mates chin drawing blood for no reason at all except that he had lost the ball in the tackle, unfortunately everybody had their eye on the play. These days TV and VAR would have picked it up.
My mate to this day still has the scar.
Souness was one of those players that in a battle you would always want him on your side, but not against you. A bit of an assassin on the pitch and an unpleasant character.
I have no idea what he is like off the pitch.
As a pundit he is divisive and either you like him or you don't.
Some of his comments are not called for, and I often wonder if he would like to foul some of the other pundits on the panel if he was allowed.
I suppose from Skys point of view he makes good TV for them maybe.

I think his punditry is like his football in that he takes no prisoners, certainly no siting on the fence.

I agree which can be refreshing as long as your not on the end of it I suppose.

[Whitesideup]

Is there anything stopping ex players becoming referees, suggest the work would be too difficult for most of them and the pay too low.

The issue would be fast-tracking them to senior positions to referee professional games, leapfrogging those who have been doing it for say 10 to 20 years. Sufficient numbers of ex-players, even from the lower divisions, would then mean very limited career progression for all the other refs.

I would however be interested to see how much of a difference playing experience at professional level would make to decision making. I am not so sure that it is that simple.  Be fun to see how they handle the stick as well.