Liverpool legend Graeme Souness retired from being a football pundit a few years ago, but still follows current players, including Wayne Rooney, on TV.
Wayne Rooney has received glowing praise from Graeme Souness as a pundit, but the Liverpool legend doesn’t like the options many other ex-pros have. Rooney has become one of the Premier League’s most prominent voices this season and has not shied away from upsetting his players.
The former Manchester United striker has decided to leave his management job and pursue a full-time career as a pundit. After struggling as a manager at Birmingham and Plymouth, he became a fixture on Match of the Day, has his own podcast on the BBC, and also appears on Amazon’s live matches.
Despite failures in his last two managerial roles, Rooney has been influential as a pundit, with his outspoken opinions on United and his clashes with Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk being convincing. It’s the kind of achievement Souness would have been proud of during his 15 years on screen with Sky Sports.
“I like listening to Wayne Rooney as a pundit because he speaks common sense,” Souness told the Daily Mail. “If you were to sum up Manchester United’s all-time teams, Wayne Rooney would be the first name on the sheet – he was a true warrior.
read more: Jamie Carragher warns Arn Slott over Mo Salah’s struggles at Liverpool: ‘It has to stop’read more: Wayne Rooney says I’m a Celebrity’s 2025 line-up has been ‘broken’
“I love Wayne Rooney as a player and I love listening to him. He has authority so I can listen to him. Some of the other pundits, I turn the tone down.”
Like United legend Roy Keane, Souness was known for his strong opinions and no-nonsense approach to the modern game. He will step down from his role at Sky at the end of the 2022/23 season, handing it over to Rooney and co.
In his match against Van Dijk, he faced the Liverpool captain after receiving harsh criticism. Rooney later admitted his comments about the Dutchman’s contribution to Liverpool’s recent struggles were “a bit unfair”, but said he would continue to speak his mind.
Let us know what you think. As a pundit, what do you think about Wayne Rooney? Please comment below.
“My job now is to give my opinion. I like to think that I try to give my opinion openly and honestly about what I feel and what I see,” he explained on the Overlap Fan Debate podcast.
“I was a bit too bullish on the podcast the other day when I said that maybe he’s dropped his tools since he signed his new contract. That’s a big statement, so maybe I was wrong. But from the level of performance, from what we’ve seen, I don’t think Van Dijk is at the level he’s been this season.”
“I said I’m sure as a captain he would talk to the players and take the team out to dinner. He said he did it. If he feels like he did it, that he had to do it, then there’s something wrong.”
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
