"I TURNED DOWN Cantona At Liverpool!" 😱🇫🇷 Simon & Souness | Episode Twelve

Join Simon Jordan & Graeme Souness each week in 'Simon & Souness'!
Jim White co-stars as Graeme reveals how he was offered Eric Cantona at Liverpool, why David Beckham isn't 'world class', and who gets into the Premier League's all-time midfield!
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Was Beckham 'World Class'?
06:59 - Would Beckham get into a current top side?
10:28 - Is De Bruyne the new Beckham?
14:07 - Could Graeme have signed Cantona?
17:06 - Who gets into Graeme's ultimate PL midfield?
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#talkSPORT
#premierleague
#Simon&Souness
#graemesouness
#ericcantona
#football
#liverpool
#liverpoolfc
#manchesterunited
#mufc
#lfc

[@robharris7125]

Beckham was a world class dead ball specialist, crosser and passer with outstanding work rate and consistency. He lacked blistering pace and didn’t go past people but he was an integral part of Man U, Real Madrid and England and carried England at times. I’d say he was borderline world class.

[@mansnotbot4160]

The fact that he had those failings as a wide player (couldn't dribble, slow, no tricks) surely means he was far from the borders of world class. Nice hair though.

[@Tamarlane389]

Outstanding professional. Reached his full potential. Not world class

[@MinisterManDan]

@@mansnotbot4160 I mean nobody except Souness thinks he’d play on the wing in 2024. He’s probably playing as an 8 in 4-3-3 and drifting to the wing for a cross as the right wing cuts into the box when attacking. His long ball accuracy would let him sit back on defense and his work rate was one of his best attributes. The games less physical now so you can’t really play that spot like Souness or Roy Keane nowadays anyway. He’d be world class now like he was then.

[@cjewe1z]

He was world-class. He played at the biggest clubs in world football. And I'm not a fan of his.

[@Ethtre1]

@@cjewe1z By the definition given by Souness he is world class. Get's into any team, he played for Utd, Madrid, Milan and PSG so he would have got into any other team surely.

[@andrewharrison7767]

Best Beckham story I've heard; he was at an evening event & noticed SAF on another table. Instinctively he hid his drink under the table, when Victoria asked why he said he couldn't let the boss see him drinking - this was after retiring! He also gave his full psg salary to charity, along with other donations across his career; if pogba or rashford had his attitude & work ethic then man utd wouldn't be in the mess they are now

[@tevildo45]

Wasnt world class tho

[@1KJO]

Says the blue meanie. . . .@@tevildo45

[@Ethtre1]

@@tevildo45 Wonder if he cares what you think... He was the best he could be in his chosen profession, are you? He has taken care of his family for the next few generations and paid back the support of his parents have you. My point is judge as much as you want but worry about yourself. Your opinion the same as mine on things like this is pointless.

[@happyapple4269]

​@tevildo45 He was, he would walk into any team.

[@ryancottle1563]

As an LFC fan, I had a strong dislike of Cantona, but at some point I had to admit he was brilliant.

[@paulosborne3200]

I like Souness and most of the time he's right but surely Cantona was world class?

[@alanslade9240]

He wasn't world class as he never performed beyond domestic competition, it's no coincidence he left united and they won the Champions League Two years later, he was dropped by France and they went from not qualifying for the World Cup to winning it. Domestic great yes, World Class no. Highest Balloon D'Or placing third behind Bergkamp and Baggio two players in the same position but rated better!

[@taduuuma]

@@alanslade9240 right twisting of facts for your narrative

[@alanslade9240]

@@taduuuma what narrative? My opinion is he wasn't world class and I backed it up with why, you don't have to agree, why do you think he was World Class? Obviously your definition of World Class maybe different to mine (for me they have to be able to walk into any other team)

[@craig5346]

@@alanslade9240 Your narrative is wrong. Cantona is the reason Man utd started winning the domestic league. He kick started the Fergie Dominance era. Fergie himself has stated so. Unless you think you know more about football than Fergie?? Only four players were deemed truly world-class by Sir Alex Ferguson during his tenure as Manchester United manager: Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paul Scholes. Guess you know more than Fergie lol. Man Utd winning the champions league has nothing to do with him leaving. That is just the way things work out. Older more experienced players, or players that play better with certain people and not others. That does not make the player the played with before a bad player. They just might gel better with other players. Michael Owen gelled better with Emile Hesky, more so than any other striker. SO by your analogy, Hesky is better than Sheringham, Fowler, Shearer Rooney etc... No. As for France when he played for France they were garbage, and they did Qualify for World cups. He left France because he fell out with Didier Deschamps. Not because he was not good enough. But because of a personality clash. Cantona was a victim of Ginola's mistake (which was well documented) with the nation having failed to qualify for the 1990 and the 1994 World Cups. He also scored 20 goals in 45 matches (which is VERY GOOD in international football) playing in a deeper position than most other strikers. Go back to sleep zzzzzzz

[@mairtinotuairisg9844]

Beckham got into Man U, Real Madrid, Paris st German and AC Milan. Got to be world class

[@MinisterManDan]

I was really surprise Souness said not world class given his standard comment that world class means you can play anywhere. Guy played for 4 of the biggest clubs in the world! The MLS is the only time you could argue he slummed it, but he got awarded an ownership stake in a club for that so it's hard to argue he shouldn't have done that given what the valuation is on MLS franchises.

[@ss-lz4me]

But lets be honest PSG was a fairly new project and AC Milan was far from the top

[@anthonymatrone7970]

@@MinisterManDan i really like listening to souness but i agree with you.

[@manpreetbrar838]

Being a good judge of a player has never been souness's strong point. Paul stewart, Julian dicks, Dean saunders, don Hutchinson, etc etc are perfect examples of this.

[@Sirwren50]

Not for football reasons commercial yeah he gets in any team

[@JC10..]

And signed Ali Dia 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@dgnoel4180]

Signed Kosma, Dicks, Piechnik, Stewart etc...In a parallel universe somewhere, Dalglish comes back at the end of the 91 season after a break, signs Shearer, Keane, maybe Sherwood?

[@manpreetbrar838]

​@@dgnoel4180 nigel martyn in goal. Possibly le tissier.

[@Ligerpride]

I wonder what Souness thought of De Bruyne being at least 7 out of 10 when he stunk the place out at the world cup.

[@JS_246]

So when Liverpool beats City he can hype the entire LFC team as world class. He's playing Chess by hyping up the opposition.

[@nikreece6295]

And he turned down schmichael too....He also sold beardsley, Mcmahon and Staunton....And made some terrible signings.... Without a doubt he was a world class central midifeld footballer... But appointing souness as our manager in 1991 after dalglish left was one of the worst decisions LFC ever made

[@magendranmunsamy7923]

His changes lead to the downfall of liverpool

[@alancampbell3364]

The schmeichel story is bullshit bud ,dates + details just don't add up

[@Sirwren50]

💯percent true

[@gaznewton3740]

If beckham couldnt get in any team, whos team couldnt he get on? The galacticos, oh wait he did. Ac milan oh wait he did. Barca oh wait he turned them down for real madrid. He was second to rivaldo in the ballondor. During all this he was england best player

[@tevildo45]

Lost his place to Antonio Reyes at Madrid. Beckham was a very good player he was never world class. He was never ever best player on his team never mind second best in the world

[@gaznewton3740]

@tevildo45 factually 2nd on the ballon d'or in 1999.

[@tevildo45]

Ye according to a French football magazine. Anyone with eyes in their head knows he wasn’t the second best player in the world in 99. Did he win pfa award that year? No, was he man uniteds best player that year? No. He was very very famous and the poster boy for world football but he wasn’t world class. He was very good.

[@gaznewton3740]

@tevildo45 their is an argument yes he was united most influential player in the treble season. 12 assists in the league 8 assists in the champions league not to mention the two goals in the final come from his corners that he doesn't get the assist for. He scored against arsenal in the fa Cup semi final. He was vital for united that season.

[@tevildo45]

A very good player for sure but not a world class player. Roy Keane , Scholes were better players. Nostalgia makes people think players were better than they were

[@MH-vp7lf]

Cantona wouldn't have put up with Souness bullying.

[@Cynthia20043]

This just exposes souness talent id

[@georgiodemetriou2054]

I disagree with Souness on most things. I remember him calling Modric a 5 a side player at best and couldn't believe what I was listening to. He also said Zaha is world class yet moans at Grealish for taking too many touches on the ball even though Zaha takes more touches on the ball then 90% of wingers I have seen. But for once I make him correct on this one. Scholes and Giggs world class footballers. Beckham for me was in the bracket underneath that. If anyone classes Beckham as world class than a new name needs to be come up for Scholes and Giggs as they were another level for me

[@MinisterManDan]

Yeah, if you take out Rangers and that one year in Turkey there's not much to talk about Souness as a manager. And frankly, at Rangers he had a blank check and once in a lifetime access to top English players because of the European cup ban, so it's not like what he did there was replicable. I also don't think it's a coincidence that all his managerial success came when he was a player manager and could still sign guys he had played with or against. I just think he was someone who could not respect the generation after his and it's hard to fairly evaluate if you're convinced they're all pampered pooches who suck

[@martinmason5008]

Terrific show. The time flew, sorry when it finished. No petulant digressions with Jim.

[@louislim2004]

The flicks and trickery from cantona dubryne couldnt do it.

[@davidanderson7917]

Great player thanks for your pidcast

[@chrisscarffe7416]

Enjoying White & Souness

[@masterfulsky]

my memory might not be what it used to be but i think only figo could give an argument for best player on the right during beckhams time surely that makes him world class

[@waqasniwaz9243]

Beckham was world class and under appreciated. Great passer who traditionally was lined up to play wide but played more in a 3. One of the best passers, free kick takers crosser, didn't need to take on players, had a great work rate..... Think he's up there with KDB, bernado Silva, and the rest souness mentioned

[@tevildo45]

Very good player but not world class. Coupdnt dribble, zero pace

[@paulstack8615]

No mention of Roy Keane!!

[@1KJO]

Didn't play for Liverpool or Scotland did he. . . .😂

[@tanman966]

I reckon Graeme Sourness administered Pogba’s drug test

[@grassrootsfootball225]

rumour has it juve did.. sshhhhh

[@unknownname1941]

[@Medicinemen100]

Really enjoying these two in conversation. Should consider doing something together on a long term basis:)

[@simonmenzies3142]

💯💯💯💯💯world class. I’m a Liverpool fan and that lad was pure world class. I didn’t realise it at tbe time. But he was without doubt

[@jonathanhall7815]

I agree with most of what was said here. I was born in a different era, and the one truly world class midfielder England had was Bobby Charlton (from the same era as another world class midfielder Beckenbauer and later Cruyff). Many people think that if Duncan Edwards had not died after the Munich air crash, he would have been the best England player of all time.

[@stuartmurray3995]

Love Souey, absolute legend of a man, and the most important influence at Glasgow Rangers in my lifetime 🔴⚪️🔵

[@happyapple4269]

Chop souey

[@mcharrisment4765]

Souness is all over it with his world class PLeague players. Cantona oh dear. We purchased Paul Stewart for over 2M instead

[@leeemery8099]

I think Beckham was world class, after Man utd he went all over & still looked very good.

[@tevildo45]

Wasnt world class. Was a very good player

[@leeemery8099]

But Scholes was world class & Lampard. They were England fringe players

[@beerguy177]

I respect souness he gave us the GOAT prem legend Ali dia

[@carlrogers1412]

Souness was a world class player, but only an average manager.

[@Bob-pm3rz]

Jim White, Think I'll give this one a miss.

[@matthewjamison]

You've gave him a view just to type that. So he doesn't care

[@sirgamer3795]

Aye old Souness as modest as they come 😂

[@tyke-sl8bs]

Can see why Keane and Sourness were great players and good pundits but can also see why they failed as managers.

[@1KJO]

Too demanding on lesser mortals.

[@tyke-sl8bs]

@@1KJO 💯

[@nikreece6295]

but the only difference here?...is that Keane won no trophies at any of the clubs he managed...Souness did

[@tyke-sl8bs]

@@nikreece6295 well, he won Scottish Prem with rangers. And a couple of league cups in turkey, Scotland and Blackburn, but only fa cup with Liverpool. His career as manager got progressively worse

[@tyke-sl8bs]

@@kansas_brit I thought he did great at Sunderland at the start tbf. His managerial career got progressively worse

[@user-sp5pi9pg6x]

Bergkamp is the best player i have ever seen play for arsenal genuine legend

[@petercurrie3953]

Souness ,worldclass .

[@ryancottle1563]

Beckham was definitely world class.

[@tevildo45]

He was very good but not world class

[@jackshaw2701]

​@@tevildo45 name a team he doesn't get into at the time ?

[@tevildo45]

He literally didn’t start for Real Madrid he lost his place to Antonio Reyes

[@jackshaw2701]

@@tevildo45 he played 40 games a season 3 years in a row then played 31 in his fourth. Those are first team stats. He lost his place after his prime. I'm not saying he's one of the best ever but at the time going from a kid in Manchester to real Madrid and becoming one of the "Galacticos" is without a doubt world class. It's the very definition

[@ryancottle1563]

@@tevildo45 he played a pivotal role in winning trophies, including the European Cup, with one on the most dominant teams in history, as well as winning with other top clubs. He played in a number of world cups and amassed 115 caps for country. He is regarded by many as one of the best set piece specialists and passers we've seen. How is that not world class?

[@mustertherohirrim7315]

That ball curled and landed every time.

[@simonclarke8098]

Beckham could have got into every team. He did. That's world class.

[@andrewbryce2707]

Didn't need to sign Eric Cantona. We had Peter Beardsley and souness sold him which was criminal.

[@CyrilBiskit]

I’ll admit Beardsley was a tremendous talent

[@erictheking97]

4:26 David May🤔😀

[@roykeane1922]

Souness didn’t mention Rodri or Rice as world class. They are top 3 in the world at the most important position in the game

[@razer0072073]

13:43

[@razer0072073]

@@LilHazTV For people who want to get to the main talking point

[@theoneandonlygus1]

Souness was one of my favorite players when he was at Liverpool but as a manager he tried to stamp his own way too quickly at the club and failed at it sadly, now as a pundit I like to listen to him, i don't always agree with him but generally he's a good pundit in my opinion. 🙂

[@sambagogo777]

David Beckham may not quite have been "world class" (by Graeme's definition of the term) but he wasn't far off. If he was playing nowadays then he absolutely would be.

[@parmentier7457]

De Bruyne formed the Mancity squad, but Bergkamp formed the entire Arsenal club. Since Bergkamp's arrival, Arsenal have almost always played in the top four of the PL. Every football fan in the world can remember a Bergkamp goal, but De Bruyne?

[@ripvanwincle2258]

Graeme Souness could have played in any team in the world love him or hate him he was a top top player.

[@nicklasaxelsson71]

Souness the steel of liverpool

[@user-uf6sk4uw9c]

❤gra

[@davidmartin6040]

Beckham def world class so underrated as a player put a ball on a six pence don’t think there’s many out there now that can do what he did

[@FPInvention]

Didn't Beckham walk into the Real Madrid side? Not sure I agree with Graeme on this one. However in terms of all round ability, I do agree he lacked certain elements but was exceptional at crossing the ball etc.

[@tevildo45]

He was dropped tho the only year they won anything when he was there. Always got the feeling Beckham was signed for marketing ability as much as football ability

[@sametozkan9175]

Souness should have been kept Ali Dia for a while of Southampton 😂

[@simonmenzies3142]

Graham your forgetting. Beckham made a difference in WVERY SINGLE GAME. He ended up running the utd midfield. And he pushed them in every game. Every

[@steve13191]

at least you didnt turn down alli dia

[@fizbuk]

Beckham was World Class because there was no other players like him. He didn't need to beat a player to put the ball exactly where he intended, so pace wasn't important. There are too many show ponies nowadays that do pointless tricks that achieve nothing. Football is about decision making under pressure.

[@user-lx8vz6oc2b]

grew up watching souness and the good liverpool teams he was in..Trust me he was a great player

[@simonboyle7122]

Turned down Cantona but signed Ali Dia. Some man is Graham 😂😂😂

[@bojack3827]

The weird thing about that Beckham documentary is that there's no mention of his time at Miami. That would be more interesting than the boot kicked towards his head etc as everyone knows about that already.

[@nigelnyoni8265]

Not really. We're interested in the old stuff probably a lot more than the superstar we know now

[@stephenherron8780]

I don’t get Souness version of world class player when it’s comes to Beckham,he did exactly that for 3 big European teams one of those is arguably the best club in the world and the other club has the 2nd most European cups/ champions leagues

[@tevildo45]

He wasn’t a starter for Madrid at the end and he played a few loan games for psg and Milan

[@jamesskene82]

Loved it agree don’t think Beckham was world class but still a great player

[@mewe1771]

Graham missed out Rodri.

[@hammertic]

😮 Sourness says that a world class player is one that could play for any world class team - well Becks did exactly that !

[@carlrogers1412]

But was he playing there because how good he was or because of all the hype that surrounded him, and how much money that could attract?

[@bareknuckles2u]

If you say someone isn't world-class people think you're saying he isn't very good. Souness said Beckham was great!

[@TheNabankur]

Beckham was definitely world class along with Giggs and Scholes. It is sad things happened in a way that he had to move away from United. He would have achieved much more at United otherwise.

[@garethmorgan7474]

What about Roy Keane

[@frozen1762]

Souness the manager at Liverpool probably one of big reasons Manchester had doors wide opened in the 90s. He was just atrocious for his former club. He always talks like team he inherited from Kenny needed rebuild but that was not true. Most of the players were in their late 20s, some even younger. He broke that winning team and replace it with mediocre and injured players. It took them 30 years to recover from him.

[@1DaKidSA]

Souness: P: 555 G: 78 A: 44 🏆:16 Beckham: P: 724 G: 127 A: 225 🏆: 21 What are we talking about here?

[@1DaKidSA]

@@hotrodssr91 Not initially no. Beck's played CM more later on in his career though and did well. Don't remember Souness ever giving the wing a crack. Point is, why does Souness get to judge if someone is world class when the person in question has better stats?

[@zWelshyxX]

Cantona not being world class is hilarious

[@tokyojones3140]

Imagine De Bruyne taking a player on , getting teammates involved like Cantona did from a deep position as a Centre Fw, never. Cantona is comparably different cheddar

[@mujthiru3223]

United fan, obviously disagree with a lot of this. But another world class player who they didn't even mention was Patrick Vieira

[@alexmelli8253]

Beckham underrated i.e. without doubt the best right midfielder of the late 90’s, Giggs way overrated as always. Guy just dribbled into dead ends.

[@AshleyWhatley-mh1yl]

Turned down Cantona? Says it all really😂

[@tixomayarn6730]

Strange that he didnt include Glenn Hoddle and Gazza, as one of the best English midfielder Hoddle is the best in my opinien

[@1KJO]

Premier League they weren't

[@markdonoghue1351]

His hate for United and players is something else

[@freescotland9573]

White sticks his nose into every pie going. It's about time true football fans were guest hosts every week. Say, 2 fans supporting different teams, the banter would be hilarious

[@DidYaServe]

Tottenham (I'm biased) have no-one who is world-class? Sonny surely. Even Romero is arguable as a World Cup winner, something Souness never got near winning. Graham's definition of world-class seems kind of narrow.

[@LilHazTV]

2 Scot’s speaking about England 🥴🥴

[@AmirAli-kd8ln]

Oh Graeme Souey Souey. How could you oversee Cantona another one of many bad decisions you made at Liverpool

[@eddiexxxx]

George Best on the conman, He can't dribble, can't head the ball and can't kick with his left foot, oh! And he doesn't score many goals, apart from that he's not to bad.

[@tokyojones3140]

What a shocking take about Cantona , he was certainly world class and a top top player , goals assists , whatever you’d like. Cantona on the ball over De Bruyne every day

[@happyaslarry5839]

Loved Souness as player and pundit but he made a ridiculous mess as Pool manager

[@Trecesolotienesdos]

Becks was world class. You’re wrong Graeme

[@benitotommassi5820]

Come on Graeme. Beckham was world class. Name a better right sided midfielder at his time?

[@fuzzball7162]

Beckham got in Man Utd’s team when they were the best,an then got in real madrids so he obviously could get into any team

[@boominband]

So he goes straight into Real Madrid Galticos. Which side can’t in get into then?

[@duncanshenton4887]

Becks walked into Real Madrid have you forgot playing with zz

[@bentuber1]

Souness. We didn't need to know you rejected Eric. Jasus!!!

[@palerider7353]

David May? class of '92? steady Jim lol

[@garykearns2922]

I was thinking the same 😂 he came from Blackburn

[@FootkerSnookball]

Surprised he didn't say RobbieSavage who was in that class it's just he failed to play for the first team

[@niallireland2940]

What can kdb do that beckham couldn’t and are we ok comparing kdb in his prime against beckham at united , kdb couldn’t even get a kick for Chelsea at that age and prem is so soft now aswell

[@alancawley9992]

Pretty sure Roy Keane was world class

[@JasonBrown-sb1ko]

Roy Keane?

[@nigelnyoni8265]

Better than cantona 🤔

[@bareknuckles2u]

Fergie said he had 4 "world-class" players: Cantona, Scholes, Giggs, and Ronaldo."

[@FootkerSnookball]

Yeah that's not true though, I think he was trying to stir things up with that. Schmeichel, Irwin, Beckham, Keane (for what his role was), Stam, Ferdinand, Rooney, v.Nistelrooy and so many more.

[@logi23]

The Eric comment is personal....absolutly no way KDB is better than Cantona .Fk off . Thats before you even deal with Dennis . Cantona terrified teams KDB is technical and walks into all the top team but hes no Cantona

[@Ligerpride]

Souness must have really hated the 1992 to 2013 period. Has there been a single United player in the last 30 years that he considers world class? I should have waited. He referred to Scholes as world class, say no more, the guy is not serious. Scholes never won a single individual award, never won a single vote for the ballon d'Or, literally not one vote, he also didn't cement a starting place for United until his mid 20s.

[@timovk]

header scored against real madrid 2022 1st leg ,, kdb

[@FootkerSnookball]

He doesn't think Beckham was WorldClass but thinks BernadoSilva is 🤦‍♂️

[@alexgrayafc49]

Beckham was world class signed to madrid in the galactico era and started enough said gooner fan

[@tevildo45]

One of the least successful Madrid teams, one title in 4 years and he was dropped for that to your own Reyes

[@marcbrown9001]

I turned it off as soon as Souness said Beckham wasn't a world 🌎 class player the numpty. Bit like calling Casemiro a steady Eddie.

[@andrekoerber7334]

De Bruyne is currently the best player in the world...player, not scorer...by the way. He is better than Mbappe, that arrogant Vinicius and so on. Bellingham might reach his level one day.

[@tonypoole9493]

I would of loved to know if he thought Foden was world class.

[@jackshaw2701]

He went to Madrid !? He would of got in any prem team at the time he was clearly world class. Maybe not a generational talent but during his prime there wasn't many better right wingers.

[@tevildo45]

Pires was better than Beckham

[@nigelnyoni8265]

Any team TODAY let alone in his day would take Beckham in his prime

[@tevildo45]

He would maybe get a game with West Ham or someone he wasn’t world class

[@Paddykelly8418]

Beckham played with the two biggest clubs in world football! And Souness says he was not world class😂Souness played with a club that has won one title in 35years he is an expert😂

[@tevildo45]

Is Thomas graveson world class

[@Stuart-Grant]

De Bruyne or Zinedane Zidanne ?

[@tokyojones3140]

Zidane is from another planet, another species like Messi concerning De Bruyne.

[@gigglemaniarunninwild2207]

What’s he on?

[@thethomascobbgroup5001]

4:20 David May was not part of the class of 92.