Souness tipped for football return after fighting back tears in Sky Sports exit

24 October 2023 , 10:09

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Graeme Souness left Sky Sports at the end of last season (Image: Sky Sports)

Rangers have been urged to give Graeme Souness full control of their football operations following Philippe Clement's appointment as manager.

Souness, 70, helped the Rangers board find Michael Beale's replacement after his sacking earlier this month. The Liverpool legend, who is a former Rangers manager himself, spent "10 days interviewing several high calibre candidates" before deciding on Clement.

Souness is currently a free agent after his 15-year spell as a pundit for Sky Sports came to an end. He said an emotional goodbye on his final appearance in April but is refusing to retire, raising more than £1million for charity by swimming the English Channel in June.

The former Scotland midfielder enjoyed a 20-year career in management after winning three European Cups as a player. Former Rangers star Nigel Spackman believes Rangers should put Souness' expertise to good use by giving him a full-time role at Ibrox.

"When it comes to the owners, I would be saying, 'Whatever Graeme wants us to do, let’s do it', Spackman told the Daily Record. "Graeme has a wealth of experience in football. He’s obviously been involved in football for his entire life at every single level."

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Souness has not only worked as a pundit for Premier League games, but also for La Liga Serie A, Bundesliga and Champions League fixtures. Spackman added: "We’ve worked together a lot... He’s built up a lot of knowledge on the current game."

Souness encouraged Rangers to appoint Philippe Clement (Getty Images)

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Spackman insists Souness wouldn't be seen as a "threat" to Clement. He continued: "The new manager has a lot of experience in the game and he’ll have his own ideas. But to have a soundboard in someone like Graeme would be beneficial to any manager."

Souness doesn't have any plans to go back into management. In an interview with The Guardian, he described his Sky Sports exit as "mutual" but also said: "I was keen to stay another year. They thought it would be a good idea that we called it a day, gave their reasons and I accepted that and have zero complaints about Sky.

"I worked for them maybe 15 years solid - but it’s more like 20 years. They’ve been great for me, gave me the weekends to look forward to, the buzz of live football. Yes (I'll miss it). But I’m talking to other people and we’ll go again. There’s life in the old dog yet."

Rangers thanked Souness for his role in appointing Clement. Club chair John Bennett described the recruitment process as "carefully planned and compressive", with Souness and others conducting a "rigorous interview and vetting process".

Tom Blow