After a glorious playing career at the heart of the unstoppable 1980’s Liverpool side, followed my a more than iffy stint in management, Graeme Souness can now be considered one of the better, more incisive football pundits working today.
Rarely dropping his famed steely exterior as he passes comment alongside fellow colleagues Redknapp, Henry and Carragher, you’d probably be surprised to hear what a soft spot he has for our dear beloved Queen Elizabeth II.
Talking about the royal during a casual chit chat with the Daily Mail, the former midfield enforcer was asked which one person he’d like to go for a drink with, to which he replied with:
“The Queen. I’m a royalist and admire what she represents, though I imagine she’s full of mischief.”
“I think she’d be a gin and tonic lady and I’d join her, it’s the only spirit I drink. Large slice of lemon in a nice glass with a good gin.”
It’s a meeting we would love to see, but it’s not the first time he’s piped up about his admiration.
Speaking in a similar interview with the Mail back in 2013, he was asked which three famous people he’d invite to his fantasy dinner party.
He responded gleefully;
“The Queen, the Queen and the Queen. She’s beyond famous. She’s the most special person that is on this planet.
“When you look back in history, the way she’s been our Queen I just think she’s a unique person.
Well, yeah she’s OK we guess.
Clearly breaking away from the intimidating vision of the Souness of old, sieving down opponents foolish enough to challenge his superiority, it may also be surprising to know that much of his attention is focused on keeping a precise back yard lawn.
And he has no time for that fancy criss-cross nonsense.
I like to cut my lawn and if I’m not happy or I’ve a couple of lines not quite straight I’ll go back over them. But I’m not for fancy patterns like in the Premier League. I’m a straight-line man.
And what about that infamous moment all those years ago he planted the Galatasary flag in the middle of the Fenerbahce pitch?
Well, he only keeps a bronze statue of the occasion in his TV Room. Classic Souness.
(Via the Daily Mail)