Graeme Souness accused of 'jealous' Arsene Wenger rant as fans hit back at 'nonsense' claim

Graeme Souness has been accused of being "jealous" of Arsene Wenger after the former Liverpool captain claimed the ex-Arsenal boss was "very, very lucky"

Arsenal supporters have hit back at Graeme Souness, accusing him of "jealousy" towards Arsene Wenger after he suggested the Frenchman was "very lucky" in his managerial career.

Wenger is globally recognised as one of football's finest managers, having secured three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups during his 22-year tenure at Arsenal.

His 2004 Premier League winning team, famously known as 'The Invincibles', went unbeaten throughout the season - a feat yet to be replicated in English top-tier football. However, Souness doesn't seem impressed.

Speaking on the Three Up Front podcast, when asked if Wenger was a "football man", Souness responded: "No, not particularly."

"I've been on the bench listening to what he's telling his players to do. I've been working for Sky in games where he's made very strange decisions. My take on him was he got very, very lucky at a time when French football produced its greatest-ever group of players.

"Inherited the best back five in world football and a 22-year-old [Dennis] Bergkamp. I think Wrighty [Ian Wright], there was still life in him. And then he had 10 years where he won a couple of FA Cups, because that cycle had been and gone. I've never spoken to him about football.

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"He would never come into my office after a game, the only manager that never did. I'd go to his office after a game, he would never be there to talk football. I don't know if he's a football man or not. I never spoke football with him."

Arsenal supporters have been quick to defend Arsene Wenger against Graeme Souness's recent remarks. One fan pointed out: "This reeks of jealousy IMO. What a nonsense take". Another supporter highlighted Wenger's dedication: "Wenger sacrificed his life for football, and suffered for it."

They continued, expressing disdain for Souness's attitude: "Only to be spoken about like this by miserable and ignorant people like Souness. I hate how shows exists because of extreme opinions and hate". A third chimed in with disbelief at Souness's criteria for being a 'football man': "He's not a football man because he refused to talk to Graeme Souness after a game what a strange person".

Souness has a history of criticising Wenger, having previously shared on talkSPORT: "I think he had a fantastic 10 years, but he did inherit the best back-five arguably in world football. He had a knowledge of French football when France produced the best group of players in the history of French football and he had an insight before anyone else did."

Souness added, "For 10 years they were the real deal, then for another decade I don't think he came anywhere near that. I think [the greatest legacy] goes to Fergie, he built three or four teams, his legacy is the largest."

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