The Sky Sports pundit Graeme Souness has received stinging criticism for calling football a “man’s game” after Chelsea’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Tottenham on Sunday.
Having watched a heated and physical derby at Stamford Bridge, during which the opposing managers Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte repeatedly clashed, Souness said: “It’s a man’s game all of a sudden, again.”
After Harry Kane’s stoppage-time header had snatched a point for Spurs, Souness added: “I think we’ve got our football back, as I would enjoy football … men at it, blow-for-blow, and the referee letting them get on with it.” The former England international Karen Carney, now a pundit, was sitting alongside Souness in the studio and the presenter Dave Jones responded: “It’s also a woman’s game as well.”
The Chelsea forward Beth England, an England international who won Euro 2022 just a couple of weeks ago, wrote on Twitter: “what a disgraceful thing to say after the summer this country has just seen.”
Eni Aluko, the former Chelsea, England and Juventus forward, tweeted: “Graeme Souness talking about “it’s a man’s game again” sat next to an England centurion Karen Carney, two weeks after @Lionesses end a 56-year-wait and win European Championships. Come on. It’s not okay.”
“It’s a man’s game”
— Bethany England (@Bethany_Eng15) August 14, 2022
“Men at it”
Get in the 🗑 what a disgraceful thing to say after the summer this country has just seen.
On TalkSPORT on Monday morning, Souness said: “My comments yesterday, I said we’ve got our game back. That is the kind of football I remember playing, and we will be better for it … men were playing men, they got about themselves … it was a throwback, and I think our football will be better for it.”
When asked if he regretted the comments he said: “Not a word of it.”
The following statement from Souness was later released by Sky Sports: “To clarify my comments from yesterday, I was referring to the two Premier League matches I watched live on Sunday afternoon, rather than the sport of football. Football is a game for everyone to enjoy.”
Graeme Souness has issued the following statement: pic.twitter.com/cASVCpLl5S
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) August 15, 2022
