Pogba
Souness
Pogba is 27, just entering his prime.
Souness
Pogba is 27, just entering his prime.
Pogba Vs Souness - Medals on the table
- Thread starter Zlatattack
- Start date
In fairness to Souness, I don’t believe, having watched the clip, that he meant that comment as a put down to Pogba. To me it looked like he was simply saying it in defence of himself, as Carragher basically implied Pogba called him an insignificant player who he’s never heard of. He basically responded that ‘he’s got a few medals’, not that Pogba hasn’t.
I don’t think there was much wrong with what Souness said yesterday, Carragher was the real villain in the piece.
I don’t think there was much wrong with what Souness said yesterday, Carragher was the real villain in the piece.
Would tend to agree, I don't think he was trying engage Pogba in a sort of 'p***ing contest'.
Having heard Souness on Pogba many times I get the impression his comments are always given in a sense of frustration that a player with so much talent doesn't apply himself properly (that is Sourness's version of properly)!
Probably, many United fans would agree!
Can we just get Pogba and Souness in the same room to sort it out?
I would say Souness thrives every time Pogba has a bad game - he loves bringing up Pogba, even when he isn't playing - which is reason enough for the big brass to call him into a meeting. When Pogba has a good game or is even the best player on the pitch by far, he plays it down completely or changes subject. This is obviously not down to Souness wanting to see a United-player unleashing his potential or anything like that, it's jealousy over the fact that Souness is old and washed up, whilst Pogba is still active, in his prime for the club Souness hates and is way more flamboyant than Souness ever was or accepts as a senior citizen. When Souness speculates on his injuries, if he is injured, if he could have contributed more, or stayed away from social media or basketball training - I immediately think - does he do that for ANY other player in the world? If not, then there is obviously a conflict here that SkySports should fix. I luckily don't see Souness on the telly every weekend as I'm in Norway, but it's quite easy to see his bias from the clips posted on here and on skysports.com.
You can only really compare them at club level because Souness is Scottish so had little chance of doing much at international level.
Endless individual awards were not a thing in Souness’s era.
At club level Souness is better at this point. I don’t think there’s much of an argument. His Liverpool side were one of the greatest in history. The English league was undoubtedly the best in Souness’s era.
Endless individual awards were not a thing in Souness’s era.
At club level Souness is better at this point. I don’t think there’s much of an argument. His Liverpool side were one of the greatest in history. The English league was undoubtedly the best in Souness’s era.
Their domestic achievements are fairly well matched.
Internationally, I doubt theres a footballer on the planet who wouldn't take a world cup medal and a goal in the final over 3 champions leagues.
Internationally, I doubt theres a footballer on the planet who wouldn't take a world cup medal and a goal in the final over 3 champions leagues.
But Souness was playing in a good team and winning trophies, just as Pogba was at Juve.
I've never liked comparing players of the same era, let alone different era's.
Weird ? So you can compare the Liverpool team of that era to the United team of this era....but not Scotland and France?
Having listened to Pogba, don't think he actually said he hadn't heard of Souness, said he was a great player but didn't recognise the face etc.
Boredom during lockdown, need a story, need to make something out of nothing.
Boredom during lockdown, need a story, need to make something out of nothing.
I was more thinking about his Juve team being compared to Liverpool as that was where he won his domestic titles.
I don't think that's a fair comparison.
Souness played in a Liverpool team that was above and beyond any others domestically, and was one of the best in Europe where there were no standout Barcelona/Real teams to challenge them year in and year out.
Pogba meanwhile has had to play in a rebuilding United side for the past 4 years, with strong competition from 3-4 teams domestically, and Ronaldo and Messi in Europe.
Compare his 2 seasons with Sampdoria maybe, where Souness was not playing for a stacked team, and he finished 4th and 11th in his two seasons there.
The reason the National team is relevant is because that (and Juventus) is where Pogba has had a similar established strong team set up as Souness did at Liverpool.
Anyways, just my humble opinion.
There were other super powers in the 70s and 80s and those were likes of Ajax and Bayern. That said it is harder to win the CL now than it was to win the European Cup then.
Pogba played for an elite level Juventus team where he won his domestic titles.
I don't think the national team analogy works as you use it because of the previous point.
The problem with international football is that you are either blessed or cursed by where you are born or who you qualify for. Only a small number of nations have ever won the World Cup and since Uruguay way back when they've all been high population countries. If you come from a small country you are highly unlikely to ever win it because of a lack of sporting resources. Denmark have won the Euros in the past and have a population similar to Scotland but those events, like Croatia getting to the WC final in 2018 are very rare. In club football the best players can move to the best clubs so its more meritocratic.
If you compare club careers then Souness played for what was probably a top 3 club side of all time and won 3 European Cups with them. It's a highly impressive CV.
Seriously 'FIFA FIFPro 
World 11 3rd team' ranks as an individual honour?
World 11 3rd team' ranks as an individual honour?If this was an attempt to make it seem like souness medal collection wasn’t that great, it failed
It's a situation created by media BS.
None of them worded their statements with any wrongful intention at all.
The only comparison between the two should be made on "Who'd carry a team on his back, Paul or Souness?" The answer is: Pogba maybe but not really; Souness: not really.
None of them worded their statements with any wrongful intention at all.
The only comparison between the two should be made on "Who'd carry a team on his back, Paul or Souness?" The answer is: Pogba maybe but not really; Souness: not really.
If I was Pogba I would hit Souness back with kindness instead and He wouldn't know what to do with it.
That's how you defeat a man with unrealistic amount of hatred towards you. He's expecting a fight and makes all sort of scenario in his mind but once you throw him off it's over. There will only be one winner.
That's how you defeat a man with unrealistic amount of hatred towards you. He's expecting a fight and makes all sort of scenario in his mind but once you throw him off it's over. There will only be one winner.
David May won the treble ? Not sure why winning a World Cup is dismissed, while playing for a dominant Liverpool side isn’t. I think every success club and country is equally relevant. Since only a small handful of clubs have ever won the Champions League
Souness is Scottish so he has next to no chance of ever winning anything at international level, its a country that rarely even qualifies for tournaments. France are one of the best placed nations for success at international level.
Club football is much more meritocratic as top level players can move to clubs befitting of their ability. Liverpool as the elite side of their era signed Souness because he was of the ability for that level, that's why he played for them.
I mean if the overall question is if Souness was as good as Pogba, then the answer is, yes he was. He was a truly elite level midfield player in his prime.
You got him
Souness never won the Bravo award? Small-time prat
But your dismissing a World Cup medal onnthe basis that you feel Scotland couldn’t win it ? Yet David May won the treble and Shearer only ever won one league title ?
If Souness wants to bring up medals you can’t just dismiss international trophies because they don’t fit your narrative. Greece, Portugal and Denmark won the Euros in the last 30 years. Perhaps if Souness had been better Scotland could’ve matched those mighty nations.
I honestly think the opposite.
While this is true to a point, back then players didn't play abroad as much.
So you could be a top player and not get the chance to play for the top club teams, totally down to your nationality.
The world cup is still the absolute pinnacle of the game.
International qualifiers and friendlies are utter garb, but to win the world cup can be a once in a lifetime chance, unlike the Euro cup where you have a crack most years at the top clubs.
I bet Messi would swap most of his trophies for one World cup.
I'm saying that it's only worthwhile comparing their club careers because that's as close as like to like as you can get. If you really wanted to add his WC medal then I'd still only say it was level because what Souness achieved at club level is exceptionally rare. That Liverpool side would be in the debate for the greatest club side of all time.
That is true to a point but Souness wasn't a passenger or stop gap for Liverpool though, he was one of their best players in that era.
Souness played in a Scotland team that under achieved. They had fantastic players in Dalglish, Hansen, Willie Miller, Souness, Narey,. They also had Strachan, Mo Johnstone and Ally Mcoist and Steve Nicol of Liverpool. I think Albiston also played for Scotland during that time. Even McQueen and Joe Jordan if my memory serves me right. They were no mugs.
That is true, they flopped in that era really.
Absolutely. Looking at Souness CV was like reading a horror book.
I don't think the English league was anywhere near is strong as he has been for the past 10 - 15 years of the Premier League. Back in Souness' era, most of the game's best players wound up going to Italy (including Souness himself). Now the money in the Premier League means only a handful of clubs in Europe can complete financially with premier league clubs and that has led to more competition. Even the sugar daddy teams don't completely dominate the way they should.
and to that point it could be argued that Scotland massively under performed on the international stage in the late 70s / early 80s... that great Liverpool side featured the backbone of the underachieving Scotland side (Dalglish, Hansen, Souness) none of whom covered themselves in international glory.
Who the feck was souness again?
Oh the bloke that used to play football a long time ago.
fecking nobodies. Nobody remember him here in asia apart from some old scouse fans. He's a nobody in the grand scheme of legends.
And ditto pogba when he hang those boots.
Oh the bloke that used to play football a long time ago.
fecking nobodies. Nobody remember him here in asia apart from some old scouse fans. He's a nobody in the grand scheme of legends.
And ditto pogba when he hang those boots.
Some people here hate Pogba so much, they're actually going to bat for Souness
Incredible times we live in.
Incredible times we live in.
Agreed! You come to expect this sort of weirdness from Souness but Carragher egging him on showed his colours. He’s a bit hot headed, a bit thick and loves to stir the pot/play devil’s advocate. Very strange the amount of love he gets on here, given he’s very average pundit. Says a lot about the standard we’ve come to expect.
In Souness’s era three English sides (Liverpool, Villa & Forest) won the European Cup in 7 out of 8 seasons. In that time the UEFA Cup was won 2 times by English sides (the joint highest) and the Cup Winners Cup once (only Spain won more than 1 with 3). I don't think it’s a stretch to say that was the strongest era in English club football.
If you want to condense it down to the core point, then Souness was absolutely on Pogba’s level as a player in his era. One of the very best midfielders in the world.
Souness was an exceptional player, on the same level as Robson, to make him to be some jobbing hacker is a long way from the truth.
Hold on, haven't you been slating Sourness for his attitude to Pogba in the Sourness thread?
Yea, so?
Completely agree.
I am old enough to have watched Souness play and have seen him live a few times.
He was a technicality outstanding player. Excellent passer and striker of a football.
But my main impression was his strength and power. He was, like many at that time quite dirty and a very strong tackler.
He was quite able to boss the midfield and often did so.
Excellent player.
In my view he was better than Pogba will ever be because of his strength of character.
We must remember that, being Scots, his international career was limited.
But, he was fortunate enough to play in a decent team. With Dalglish and the brilliant Joe Jordan.
It would be a no contest I am afraid.
It isn't really much of a feud. Most of what Souness says about Pogba I agree with...and Pogba I very much doubt gets upset about what Souness thinks.
The Sky lot just openly bait Souness over Pogba now, which is kind of his own fault for bleating on about him so much and for his general obsession with slagging off our midfielders, but he's not exactly saying anything outlandish or that you don't see repeatedly said on here.
Pogba didn't listen to Sir ALex Firguson when he was his manager so seems unlikely to me that he's going to be winding himself up over the thoughts of some pundit who literally whines about any player we put in our midfield.
The Sky lot just openly bait Souness over Pogba now, which is kind of his own fault for bleating on about him so much and for his general obsession with slagging off our midfielders, but he's not exactly saying anything outlandish or that you don't see repeatedly said on here.
Pogba didn't listen to Sir ALex Firguson when he was his manager so seems unlikely to me that he's going to be winding himself up over the thoughts of some pundit who literally whines about any player we put in our midfield.