Graeme Souness blasted “wokeism that exists in everyday life” for a change in footballers that left sacked Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag frustrated at Old Trafford. Ten Hag, who was axed earlier this season for Ruben Amorim, claimed that modern players can no longer put up with any criticism – be that internal or external.
Souness, who rarely pulls any punches, agreed with the Dutchman and insisted that life of those on hundreds of thousands of pounds a week should be able to put up with backlash, especially when they are underperforming. “He’s right,” Souness wrote for the Daily Mail. “A combination of factors is to blame. The wokeism that exists in everyday life and permeates through society.
“Money. Media exposure. And the power of their asset value to a football club. All of those elements make it extremely difficult to manage the modern footballer.”
He singled out Alejandro Garnacho, who recently patched up with his team-mates by buying a squad dinner, alongside two players who departed United on loan in Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho, following their very public exits.
Souness continued: “Look at these young Manchester United pups like Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho or Marcus Rashford. Who have they been listening to? Are we really surprised that in the week Ten Hag makes his comments, Garnacho still sulks off down the tunnel when he is substituted and we hear Ruben Amorim saying he will speak to him? No, challenging the manager is what we’ve come to expect. The tail is wagging the dog.
“I do think Manchester United suffer from it more than most. The players get too much adulation too soon at that club, always put on a pedestal from an early age. As a player at Liverpool, if we lost, I wouldn’t want to go out in town on a Saturday night.
“Manchester is only 30 miles down the road from Liverpool, but I sense the attitude is different to players there. It’s more ‘showbiz’. You don’t have to do much to be treated like a star there.
“The big mistake United made recently, and Ten Hag was culpable, was falling out with Cristiano Ronaldo. The consummate professional, one demanding of standards. He is one senior player the others would look up to, to see the example he set every day.”
Souness, who won five league titles and three European Cups during his six years on Anfield, bemoaned a lack of senior leadership in the dressing room.
His thoughts echoed that of Roy Keane, who this week lambasted United club captain Bruno Fernandes for being unable to guide a young group of players up the Premier League table, as they currently languish in 14th place.
