Former Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness has thrown his full support behind one Manchester United legend’s initiative after paying tribute to his “old sparring partner.”
Graeme Souness experienced the fierce rivalry between Manchester United and Liverpool first-hand after his remarkable playing career at Anfield.
The 70-year-old Liverpool legend even crossed paths with legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson during his time in the managerial dugout.
Following his managerial career, Souness was a leading face on punditry for Sky Sports before he stepped down at the end of the last Premier League season.
Souness has made sporadic appearances on punditry since he departed from Sky Sports, with the ex-Liverpool star often giving his thoughts in his newspaper column.
The former Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers manager hasn’t been afraid to drop his two cents on United this season amid Erik ten Hag’s struggles at Old Trafford.
Souness praises Man Utd legend’s plans
Speaking in his column for The Daily Mail, Graeme Souness candidly opened up on his relationship with Manchester United legend Bryan Robson.
Bryan Robson, who is regarded as one of United’s best captains of all time, had a remarkable playing career at Old Trafford during the 1980s and 1990s.
The 67-year-old former England and United midfielder was a key figure for Sir Alex Ferguson, who kept Robson as club skipper after he arrived at Old Trafford in 1986.
Robson lifted two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, a League Cup and a European Cup Winners’ Cup with United before his Old Trafford exit in 1994.
Souness praised the United legend for his latest venture, helping to support and educate players on the “finance pitfalls” and backing the initiative himself.
“My friend and old sparring partner Bryan Robson is involved in a project to educate players on finance pitfalls,” Souness wrote.
“I can certainly see the need for the right messages to be delivered.
“So-called ‘investment opportunities’ have been fraught with danger for players for a long time, but the big sums of money washing around the game are attracting a lot of the wrong types.”
He added: “That said, there were not the kind of influences around the edges when I was playing that there are now. And we weren’t earning the kind of generation-changing money that these boys earn today.
“The money changes the lives of players’ children and grandchildren these days and that’s attracting some sleazy people. I wish Bryan well in guiding players away from them.”
Man Utd legend Robson on his initiative
Robson admitted that he had been “stung a couple of times” himself in the past over financial decisions and was “fed up” with seeing other players experience the same.
The former United skipper teamed up with finance expert Simon Andrews, who was at the Red Devils in the late 1980s, for the High Performance Individuals (HPI).
“I just got fed up of picking up another newspaper and reading that someone else in sport is bankrupt or been ripped off,” Robson told The Daily Mail.
“I’ve been stung a couple of times myself.”
He added: “It’s ex-players helping players and we hope there will be a trust there, as well a knowledge and life experience they relate to.”