Souness England team is there for the taking

Graeme Souness never once took the field against England in awe of the opposition.

And that was at a time when they were producing some of the greatest players in their history.

So he most certainly doesn’t believe Gordon Strachan’s players should feel inferior on Tuesday night when they go head-to-head with Roy Hodgson’s side at Celtic Park.

Souness has failed to be impressed with England and reckons they are there for the taking.

“On paper, yes, there is a difference between the teams,” said Souness. “They have some very good players but you don’t win games on paper. We’re at home, yet there’s always an element when we play England that we feel like underdogs. I personally never felt that.

“While I think there’s an element of that with our players, I think it will be a close encounter. We’re organised right now, everyone knows what they’re doing, and I’d just like us to carry a bit more threat.”

Souness believes this current England team lacks leaders, and no longer has the amount of world-class performers it once did. And he says if anyone requires any proof of that, they need look no further than their inept World Cup performances.

“I think they’ve been disappointing,” said the former Scotland skipper, who won 54 caps. “In the last World Cup, I know people got excited about England’s first game against Italy I didn’t.

“At no time did I get on the edge of my seat thinking: ‘England are playing well here. They’re going to win a game’. I think they went to Brazil and tried to play like Spain. They didn’t play to their strengths.

“Their strengths are up-and-at-em and playing at a certain tempo, and I didn’t see that. This England team are more than beatable. It’s a great time to be playing them. I don’t see them as one of the strongest teams out there right now.

“In terms of leaders, Wayne Rooney is an obvious one. He doesn’t like to lose. He’ll relish coming to Parkhead, with its atmosphere and the abuse he’ll get there.

“Who else is there? I think Cahill is fast developing into a top centre-half. I was an enormous fan of Steven Gerrard, but he is no longer there. So I think they are the only two obvious ones Cahill and Rooney.”

There has been a suggestion Roy Hodgson could rest some of his top stars for the Parkhead clash, something that amused Souness.

“It is November now they’ll all be tired,” he laughed. “No, Roy Hodgson will want to come to Glasgow and turn us over. He’ll know it wouldn’t do him any favours whatsoever to lose to us. The English media would go after him. That’s not new.

“It’s a hard job managing England, I’d imagine. You are always only 45 minutes away from getting dog’s abuse. The expectation levels are massive. They are a nation of 55 million people so they’ve got to start making an impression at a tournament.

“I happen to think England have enough good players to do that.”

Graeme Souness was speaking on behalf of 666BET.com. Among the many bets on offer for Scotland v England is ‘The Glorious 67’ money back on losing Scotland first goalscorer bets (up to £20) if Scotland score in the 67th minute.