During a recent televised broadcast, renowned football pundit Graeme Souness found himself in hot water for his scathing criticisms of Callum McGregor, who he referred to as ‘the Celtic captain’. Souness came under fire from Celtic supporters after he dissected McGregor’s performance leading up to Germany’s second goal during a match in Munich. Despite forgetting McGregor’s name during the analysis, Souness highlighted instances where the midfielder could have defended better to prevent the goal. The choice to label McGregor as ‘the Celtic captain’ instead of using his name irritated some viewers, with accusations that Souness was taking a sly dig at the Scottish champions. However, Souness gave an innocent explanation for the omission, stating that he simply couldn’t recall McGregor’s name at the moment.
Amidst the backlash, Souness elaborated on his analysis, pointing out specific moments where McGregor’s attempts to intercept the ball were not effective, ultimately contributing to the goal being scored. Souness emphasized the importance of proper defensive positioning and technique, suggesting that McGregor could have improved his performance in that aspect of the game.
Despite the criticisms and accusations thrown his way, Souness, a respected figure in Scottish football and recently named CBE in the King’s Birthday honors list, maintained that his comments were not meant to be taken as a slight against McGregor or Celtic. He clarified that his intention was to provide insightful analysis of the match and highlighted areas for improvement, rather than to criticize for the sake of it. Ultimately, Souness’s analysis sparked a debate among football fans, underscoring the passion and intensity that surrounds the sport in Scotland.
