Top players risk injury for meaningless friendlies, says Graeme Souness
- Graeme Souness argues that international friendlies are largely unimportant for top players.
- He draws from his experience of reducing participation in friendlies during his time at Liverpool.
- Souness concludes that players risk injury for games that will not affect major tournament selections.
In a recent commentary, Graeme Souness, a former Scottish national team player, reflected on the challenges faced by players participating in international friendlies. He noted that these matches often do not hold significant value compared to club commitments, stating players like Harry Kane, despite expressing pride in representing their country, face the dilemma of risking injury in what are effectively unimportant games. Souness recounted his own experience of missing friendlies during his career at Liverpool due to club preferences. He emphasized that modern tournaments like the Nations League, while marketed as more competitive, still have a way to go to match the importance of regular league matches or major tournaments. He pointed out that ultimately, performance in friendlies will not influence selection for more critical competitions like the World Cup. Additionally, Souness commented on the ongoing issues surrounding referee David Coote, highlighting that public scrutiny following videos of alleged inappropriate behavior would make it difficult for Coote to maintain his role in the Premier League. Souness also remarked on Claudio Ranieri’s appointment as manager of Roma at the age of 73, reflecting on the evolving nature of football management.