I won three European Cups with Liverpool; He would have been a piece of cake to play in the Premier League

Graeme Souness insists he would have no problem competing in modern football.

The 70-year-old, who played for Liverpool between 1978 and 1984, responded to a call from talkSPORT who told the former Anfield captain that he is faster and more competitive than when he played.

soliditywho made 359 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and won five titles and the European Cup three times, insisted he would have relished the opportunity to test his skills against Declan Rice, Rodri and other leading midfielders.

“When I played and after playing, I accept that things have changed, is it faster? All our training was doing one or two touches on pitches much inferior to what they have today,” he told White and Jordan on talkSPORT.

“Does that mean we have better technique? We played on plowed fields, while today boys play on carpets.

“We had smaller squads and I think we won the league one year with 15 players on the squad.”

Souness recalled the times when he and his Liverpool team-mates found it difficult to travel to matches, admitting that it was much more difficult then than it is today.

“I played 65 games per season. I was never injured, I was suspended a couple of times, but I played the vast majority of games,” he added.

“We weren't flying anywhere; we were stuck on the highways and maybe weren't living the best lifestyle.

“But I think it was difficult to win the league back then; anyone could beat us any day, and it's the same here.

3

“I remember, as it is today, three or four teams fighting for the league.”

The legendary Scot signed himself into Anfield's rich tapestry with the honors he won and fans to this day still insist he is one of the best the club has ever had.

Souness was known for being combative and strong in challenge, and was always happy to defend his teammates and let the opponent know they were in a game.

“Listen, to make a direct comparison, I would love to play today,” he added.

“I think it would be a real no-brainer to play, an absolute no-brainer.

“I think today's midfielders get away with it; you see them, and some are considered real midfielders.

“They catch the ball and pass it sideways; there are many who have been bought for a lot of money.”

3

He also recalls the time he was involved in training exercises and revealed what then-coach Ronnie Moran told him at the time.

“If you had come to Melwood, our training ground in Liverpool, and watched a reduced game with Ronnie Moran, do you know what is the most common thing you would have heard?

“Play forward, play forward; he would stop the game and say, 'Look, I'm 50 years old; I can pass him sideways; you play forward; look forward.'

“Today this is what happens, and I had a term for it in Liverpooland I fouled out in my second home game.

“It would be rude of me to mention the term I had because it refers to a player who was playing at the time.

“What it meant was, 'Don't do that here, son; go back to the back four and make a nice, easy pass, no pressure, and you pass him straight on.'

“The modern midfielder does it all the time now; he receives the ball and then passes it to the full-back without pressure.

“If I had sat in the back four and told Mark Lawrenson or Alan Hansen to give me the ball, they would have told me to fuck off.”