After a 22-year career in management, Graeme Souness joined Sky Sports in 2008 and gained a reputation as a straight-talking pundit who often clashed with fellow studio guests. On Sunday, after Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham, Souness announced his departure from the broadcaster. He said on the Super Sunday programme: “I have to say, for me, I decided that football management wasn’t for me anymore. I had totally the wrong temperament for it and personality. I was given an opportunity to do this and it has been magnificent. It has just been the most fantastic time for me. I love football and I care for it and I worry about it going forward. But in Sky’s hands, it’s in safe hands and I think over the years we have treated the Premier League with great detail and I think we look after football very well. For me personally I have got the buzz of live football, coming to some fantastic games and some fantastic stadiums and witnessing some great events. I think I owe a hundred apologies but I haven’t got time for that to people that I may have said some harsh things. I think people at home want to see us not always agree, but it has been great and I am amongst friends. Nothing goes on forever, I have got lots of things coming up. It has been great, so thank you to everyone.”
The news of Souness’ departure was met with an outpouring of support from fellow pundits, players, and fans alike. Jamie Carragher tweeted “Graeme Souness was one of the greatest players this country has ever seen, the same goes for him as a pundit! I’ve never seen anyone else have his authority in a studio, you’ll be missed Souey.” Simon Thomas shared that “when [he] went through serious mental health problems back in the autumn of 2017 and had to come off work . . . . . . one of the first people to ring [him] and see how [he] was doing was Graeme Souness.” Ed Chamberlin admitted to being “terrified at times” when working with Souness but said he was “a leader, top, top pundit & great man.” Peter Crouch shared a light-hearted anecdote about being caught doing Pilates on holiday by Souness and Neil Mellor simply said “always enjoyed watching him and listening to what he has to say on the game.”
Graeme Souness has left his role as a Sky Sports pundit after 15 years with the broadcaster. The 69-year-old joined Sky Sports in 2008 after a 22-year management career, and announced his departure on air after Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday. He gained a reputation as a straight-talking pundit who often clashed with fellow studio guests, and admitted he “owes a hundred apologies.” The news of Souness’ departure was met with an outpouring of support from fellow pundits, players, and fans alike.